Allspark Reborn
by TammyCat
Summary: 2007 MovieverseNovel. Losing the last piece of the Allspark inside a human would be bad, wouldn't it? Pls R&R. Fin!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Barricade revved his engine. He watched as the Autobot leader and Medic headed out of the town. With a plan formulating in his brain, Barricade awakened the small mech in his dashboard and followed the departing Autobots.

Optimus Prime had been aware of the Decepticon tailing them for five minutes, Optimus had known a confrontation would be inevitable after the fight in Mission City. The conflict had been four months ago, this fight was long overdue. Leading the dangerous convoy away from any human structures he prepared to fight.

_'Ratchet __be__ ready.'_ He warned the emergency vehicle behind him.

_'Why don't we take him now?'_

_'There are too many humans.'_ Optimus responded as the police cars' sirens blared and it sped up to catch them.

Fenzy twitched his hands in excitement as they gained ground on the Autobots. The plan was brilliant; Barricade would distract them while Frenzy snuck around and disabled their sparks. It was a cruel and brutal plan, Frenzy twitched again.

Overtaking the Autobots Barricade swung around and transformed. Having no other option Optimus followed suit, transforming while still moving he tackled the waiting Decepticon. The pair went down in a fountain of sparks as metal scraped against concrete. Ratchet braked and skidded to avoid hitting the wrestling mechs. Unnoticed, Frenzy had jumped away from Barricade before Optimus had hit him, spying the other Autobot he dashed into the cover of the road side.

Optimus used his momentum to drive Barricade into the ground, unfazed the Decepticon anchored his feet and pushed - forcing the massive Autobot back. Pulling back Barricade powered up the plasma cannon on his arm, but before he could send a pulse blast into the Autobot leaders' head Optimus reared up slamming a fist into the Decepticons face. Recovering quickly Barricade tackled Optimus, shoving him into the cliff wall next to the road.

Ratchet watched unable to get a clear shot at the Decepticon struggling with Optimus prime, in his distraction Ratchet failed to sense the small silver mech inching towards him through the grass.

Frenzy studied the distracted Autobot, deciding the time was right he struck. Leaping from the bushes Frenzy attached himself to the back of Ratchets' head. The Autobot jerked as Frenzy's claw-like fingers dug into the grooves of his helmet. Frenzy cleverly evaded the hands that were trying to remove him, wriggling around to the side of Ratchet's head Frenzy worked free a metal plate and searched through the wires and components revealed.

He's trying to blind me. Ratchet realized as he tried to prize the silver robot away from his circuitry. He finally grabbed the little mech moments before it managed to disable his optics, Ratchet held the struggling Decepticon in his left hand and watched with no little satisfaction as its optics faded after several blows from his right fist.

By this time Optimus had beaten Barricade back to the middle of the road. It had been close when Barricade had almost crushed him under a tone of rock blasted from the cliff, the boulders were now scattered across the road.

Barricade sensed the car and transformed before Optimus' eyes. Tearing off back the way they had come Barricade monitored the approached of the car, pausing around a corner Barricade waited.

Optimus watched as the Decepticon disappeared down the road, turning to Ratchet he saw the medic throw aside the battered silver mech.

"Are you damaged?" Optimus asked spying the loose check plate.

"Nothing I cannot fix. The little cretin was trying to disable my optics." Ratchet replied fusing his face plate into place.

A shrieking of tires brought the Autobots attention to a SUV swerving to avoid the boulders on the road. Unfortunately Optimus Prime and Ratchet were standing on the only available piece of road not blocked by rock. The SUV's driver braked suddenly to avoid hitting the giant robots. Optimus quickly realized that the car was not going to stop in time, bracing himself against the road Optimus prepared to catch the car. Despite the best efforts of the driver the SUV slammed into Optimus at an astounding speed. Optimus wasn't prepared for the momentum at which the car struck. His hands, which had been poised to catch the car of either side of the windshield, went straight through the car's frame. The car smashed into Optimus' gigantic legs, crushing the front of the SUV. Cursing in Cybertronian Optimus surveyed the damaged car; both passengers in the front seat were injured and unconscious.

"Ratchet! The humans need medical attention immediately."

The medic had already transformed into his alternative form. "I have contacted the human hospitals, they are sending several ambulances."

Optimus nodded and focused once more on the ruined SUV. The backend of the car was covered with glass and shredded pieces of metal but something wasn't right, there was a faint life-signal emanating from under the debris. Praying to Primus that there was only a domesticated human pet trapped under the metal, Optimus carefully reached down and removed the roof. Lying half covered in glass and metal debris was a adolescent human female. Cursing once more Optimus gently removed the rest of the broken SUV's roof.

"Ratchet this human is severally injured. Can you mend her?"

Ratchet transformed back into his bipedal form, approaching the car Ratchet scanned the human for injuries. "There are many superficial wounds. The most serious appears to be in the females' chest." Optimus stood aside while Ratchets preformed his medical scans, his optics were drawn to the injury Ratchet had declared the most serious. To Optimus' utter dismay he saw a piece of metal deeply embedded in the girls' bloody flesh.

Ratchet's voice broke Optimus' focus. "Sir, the females' heart has been punctured. She should be dead."

Sadness broke over Optimus like a wave. He had vowed to protect human life but had just become responsible for the taking of one. What the medical officer had said reverberated in his ears.

"Should be dead? She isn't."

"No sir. Her heart is beating."

"How is that possible?" Optimus demanded.

"I can only guess that it has something to do with the humans' wound."

Both Autobots focused their optics on the girls' chest. Horror flashed through Optimus as he recognized the metal protruding from the girls' breast. A hiss from Ratchet proved he had also identified the material. Optimus reached down and with infinite care, tried to remove the metal from her body. It didn't move. Optimus' fingers were too large and the fragment was too deeply embedded. Optimus Prime and Ratchet watched as the last piece of the Allspark disappeared completely into the girls' body.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_**7 Months later**_

Cameron stared out the window of the large family truck. They had been home for only five months before her father had accepted an offer to work at the Air-Force base in Nevada.

"Are we there yet? I'm hungry." Cameron's younger brother Mitch whined from the backseat.

"Not yet mate. Another half hour and we'll stop somewhere for lunch." Her father, Captain Jonathan Oakham replied. Mitch moaned and scowled muttering, "you said that two hours ago" before returning his attention to the Gameboy in his lap. Pushing the earphones back into her ears Cameron focused her attention to the passing miles of desert.

Sam Witwicky and Mikaela Banes reclined on the hood of a bright yellow 2009 Camaro. The evening sun beat down of the relaxing trio. A horn blared in greeting as a red-flamed Peterbilt truck rolled to a stop. It was quickly followed by a H2 Emergency vehicle. San and Mikaela slipped off Bumblebee, the instant they were clear the yellow and black Camaro transformed. The newly bipedal Optimus Prime and Ratchet joined the trio looking out over the town of Tranquility.

"Sir?" Bumblebee asked certain his leader understood what he was thinking.

"We wait for Ironhide." Was all Optimus said.

Minutes later a shiny black GMC Topkick growled into the lookout. As Ironhide transformed Optimus started the meeting.

"Bumblebee report."

"No new Decepticon activity. The base we found proved to be temporary. No sightings since the attack last month."

Optimus interrupted. "What was the outcome?"

"Only one human was injured. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, Barricade was more interested in getting away with his tail intact than obeying the road rules. The human suffered a broken leg and two broken ribs. He is healing quickly."

Optimus nodded. "Ironhide, anything from Captain Lennox?"

The big machine shook his head. "The human military is still searching for Starscream, he hasn't surfaced since returning to Earth."

"There aren't a lot of places he can hide in his Earth form. Have Captain Lennox search all F-22 hangers, while Starscream is hiding amongst the humans they are in danger. Let him know that we are still trying to find the remaining Decepticons." Ironhide nodded as Optimus continued. "Bumblebee, Barricade is still in the city somewhere, keep your sensors open. Ratchet is continuing research for your upgrades. Autobots Dismissed."

"But Optimus, what about the signal?" Ironhide asked as their leader turned away from the group. "We've all felt it." The nods coming from Bumblebee and Ratchet proved his comment.

"It feels like the Allspark, but different." Bumblebee said trying to vocalize the strange signal they had been sensing for over a week. His voice crackled.

Optimus shifted uncomfortably, only Ratchet and himself knew what had happened to the Allspark piece. All Ironhide, Bumblebee and the humans knew was that the shard had been lost after a confrontation with Barricade.

"If there was a definite signal to trace I would do everything in my power to retrieve the Allspark, until we receive a specific signal we must keep searching." A beeping interrupted Optimus. Looking over his soldiers Optimus watched as Ironhide searched his body for the source of the noise. His glove-compartment popped open, sitting inside was a pager. Carefully looking at it Ironhide sighed.

"I must go. The Lennox family intends to go camping, they wish to take me with them." Sam and Mikaela snickered at the beleaguered look on Ironhide's metal face, even Optimus was chuckling as he watched the black Topkick disappear through the trees.

"Hey Ratchet, can you do anything about Bee's voice." Sam said referring to the constant crackle that appeared whenever the yellow mech spoke.

Running a scan over Bumblebee's throat Ratchet responded. "No until I know how he managed to bypass the broken circuitry. If he would consent to an examination I might be able to do something."

Bumblebee merely shook his head and transformed into his car form. "I'm not voluntarily putting myself in your torture chamber." Sam and Mikaela laughed as Ratchet scowled and left.

Cameron fidgeted as she waited outside the classroom. She had managed to procrastinate as long as possible before agreeing to enroll at the local high school. The principal stood at the door talking to the teacher, a middle-aged man with a receding hair line and glasses.

"Alright Miss Oakham, Mr. Husney will get you settled." The principal smiled at her before walking away. Mr. Husney held the door open, Cameron clutched the shoulder strap of her bag before entering the classroom. Uncertainty wedged in Cameron's heart as she looked over the class of seniors.

Mikaela looked up from her book to see the new girl, she had light brown wavy hair and dark green eyes. She looked wary, as if she thought they were going to attack her. Considering some of the people in the class, the new girl might be right might be right.

"Class I'd like you to welcome Cameron Oakham. She's joining us from Australia" The class' interest picked up as they watched Cameron wave and sit near the window.

Ratchet cornered Optimus in their base. "Perhaps it is time to tell the others that the Allspark was lost inside a human." He suggested.

Optimus shook his head. "It would worry them, especially Bumblebee. He has gotten very close to the humans. How is it that we can feel it now but not when it was in the girl."

"I don't know. I lost the signal after the human went into the hospital. Captain Lennox tried to find out about them but he only got a name. Oakham."

"There are many Oakham's in this country and none that look like the ones we injured." Optimus shook off his depressive mood. "If the signal becomes stronger I'll inform the others, just not the humans."

Ratchet nodded in agreement and disappeared into his medi-bay. Optimus remained where he was, staring into the barren paddock. Searching the skies for hope, little did he know hope was a tired teenager.

Cameron shrugged off her bag as the front door closed behind her.

"How was your first day honey?" a cheery voice called from the back of the house. 'Freakin' fantastic.' Cameron thought sourly. To her mother who was bustling around the kitchen she answered with a smile, "Fine." Looking down at her feet she said, "What is that?"

Mikaela and Sam stood on the front-step waiting for the door to open. When it did it was a tired looking Cameron who looked out.

"Hey, can I help you?" Cameron asked trying to sound friendly while hoping their answer would be 'no'.

"Hi, I'm Mikaela this is Sam. I was wondering if you wanted a lift to school in the mornings." Both Sam and Cameron looked at her strangely. "I mean you're new and Sam lives next door."

Cameron smiled, maybe today wouldn't suck so badly after all. "You're the neighbor? Hang on a sec." The door closed.

"Did you just pimp out me and Bumblebee?" Sam asked indignantly.

"Come on Sam, she knows no-one. It's only a lift to school." Sam sighed in defeat. "Plus you could use some more friends." Mikaela said with a grin. Sam opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the door opening. Cameron stood in the doorway with a Chihuahua in her hands.

"Is this yours?" She asked as the little dog started to chew her fingers.

"Mojo! How did you get out?" Sam exclaimed as he reached for the dog.

"My mother found him in the flowers. Nice collar." Cameron watched Mojo Licking Sam's face.

"So, how about that lift?" Mikaela said diverting their attention.

"Sure that would be great. I'm Cameron by the way."

"Yeah, I saw you in social studies." Mikaela smiled at Cameron's good natured grimace. "Well we'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks for finding my dog." Sam said as a parting. Cameron stood on the threshold and watched her new friends leave.


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm sorry this chapter is so short but I wanted to get something up before I start my final exams. They started on Friday so I'm a bit late. Oops.**

**It may be a while before another chapter is posted. Sorry.**

**TammyCat**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers**

**

* * *

****Chapter 3**

It was relatively quiet in the Lennox house. William Lennox was still at the dinning table with Cameron's father while their wives stood in the kitchen gossiping. Cameron, having been volunteered by her parents, was clearing the table catching snatches of conversation between the kitchen and table;

"…and Emily is raving about her new diet, apparently…"

"…I wouldn't pay too much attention to Rogers, he's… "

"…very proud of missy. She got first place in the junior division of the recent pony show… Cameron would you like some help?" Sarah Lennox asked as Cameron hefted a stack of plates onto the counter.

Cameron smile reassuringly. "No it's okay, I've got it.""Mitch, come help your sister. Alana called out to her computer entranced son as she and Sarah left the kitchen. Cameron chuckled at the idea of Mitch voluntarily giving up precious game-play time to wash dishes. Still giggling softly Cameron dumped a load of cutlery into the water. Touching the metal sink lightly a spark of electricity jumped to Cameron's fingers. Frozen, the jolt ran up her arm to lodge in her heart and creep slowly up her neck. Feeling returned to Cameron's arm, at the same time her knees gave way and she feel back against the counter-top gasping for breath. Heart pounding, limbs shaking Cameron straightened and rubbed above her heart, her scar itched but the tingling sensation soon faded.

* * *

The electrical pulse woke Ironhide from his light stasis. Fighting his instinctual reaction to transform he assessed the situation. The pulse had originated from within the house, slightly confused Ironhide scanned the house. Only the Lennox family and their visitors but the signal was still coming from the immediate vicinity. Still unsure about the situation he radioed Optimus.

_'Sir, I think I have located the Allspark.'_

Optimus' voice crackled through his speakers. '_We felt it too. What's your position?_'

_'The Lennox farm._' The radio clicked off.

* * *

Cameron dried her hands on a nearby towel. 'So much for help.' She thought as she walked past her Gameboy playing brother. Rubbing the back of her neck where she could still feel tingles Cameron walked to the front lounge, picking up her bag she took out her iPod. Gym Class Heroes blasted into her ears, dancing around slightly she edged towards the door. Skimming the room with her eyes Cameron made sure no-one was around before plunging her hand back into her bag, when her fingers closed over the small box she reached for the door handle. Upon opening the front door she was met with an unusual sight.

Closing the door again she darted to the den. Knocking softly, "Um…excuse me captain Lennox, but are you expecting company?"

A confused look passed over Will's face. "No, why?"

"Well your front yard just turned into a truck stop." Cameron moved aside as Lennox looked through the window.

"They're a few friends of mine, I'll be back in a moment." He excused himself to Jonathan and Cameron before leaving the room.

Moving quickly up the drive Lennox faced the Peterbilt truck and emergency hummer. "Optimus, Ratchet what are you doing here?" Will flinched as three holographic people appeared infront of him. "Would you be careful, I have guests."

"I apologize."

"They are not looking." Ironhide informed the group.

Optimus continued. "We have traced the Allspark to this location."

"What? We don't have the Allspark. Do you think I would keep something that dangerous in my home?"

"The Allspark is not harmful." Ratchet said in defense of their life-giving energy.

"No but the Decepticons are very eager to get their hands on it, and that would put my family in danger." Lennox argued.

"Whether you brought it here or not doesn't matter at the moment. We must find the shard." Optimus said through his holoform. "Do you have anything new in your house?"

"The washing machine but Ironhide would have noticed if it was the Allspark."

"No, newer than that. Has anything come into the house today?" Ironhide questioned.

Lennox wracked his brain. "Only Captain Oakham and his family but they're human." Ironhide missed the look that passed between Optimus and Ratchet, but Lennox didn't.

"What was that?"

Optimus' holoform looked uneasy. "Is there an adolescent female in that family?"

"Yeah, Cameron. What does she have to do with anything?" Will asked curiously. Ironhide's attention was firmly fixed on Optimus now. "Several months ago Ratchet and I were in a fight with Barricade. During the battle the Allspark came loose from it's containment in my arm. After the Decepticon had fled I was struck by a car, I tried to stop it but I couldn't."

Ratchet continued the story. "All three humans were injured. The young female should have died, her heart had been punctured by the Allspark."

"Why didn't you take it out?" Lennox asked shocked.

"The Allspark was too deep in her chest, when I tired it slid deeper." Optimus explained.

"So the human has the Allspark within her?" Ironhide inquired quietly.

"It would seem so. It must have been inactive and something she has done activated it again. Otherwise we would have sensed it before this."

"But we've been feeling its presence for weeks." Ironhide stated.

Ratchet nodded. "And during that time we couldn't get a definite lock on its location. But now we can. If it is her we must keep her safe."

The screen door opened behind Lennox. "I'll see if it is the same girl. You guys have to go before Sarah kicks my ass."

Optimus' holoform nodded. "We will contact you soon." All three holograms flickered off-line as the two vehicles left. Turning to face the house, William saw Annabelle standing at the door holding her teddy-bear. Relieved that it was his daughter and not his wife will hurried back inside, scooping up the two-year-old along the way.

* * *

Cameron reclined on the grass next to Mikaela. Three weeks of school left before the summer break. Cameron couldn't believe she had been in America for over two months. She noticed happily that she still had her accent. It seemed to intrigue some of her classmates, especially Miles. Sam's best friend had taken to hanging out wherever Cameron was, and since she tended to spend lots of time around Sam and Mikaela it was a perfect cover to get closer to her.

Cameron was not oblivious to the boys' attention, she just didn't encourage him. Eventually he would give up she was sure of it. In the mean time she would flirt harmlessly with the other guys and hope that Miles caught on. At the moment he was sitting with Sam behind her and Mikaela.

"Hey Cameron, cool tattoo." Miles said as Cam pulled her hair away from her neck.

"What?" She asked as a flamed semi drove past the school. It looked familiar.

"That tattoo on your neck, it's awesome. Where did you get the design?" He asked. Cam thought furiously, she had to bluff this. She had managed to keep the mysterious tattoos secret for weeks. Twisting around to look at Miles she heard Mikaela breath in sharply.

"When did you get that tattoo?" Mikaela asked. She was staring at the Decepticon symbol on the left side of the back of Cameron's neck.

"Oh I got it two weeks ago." Cameron lied. Well technically it wasn't a lie; she had gotten them two weeks ago. Actually she had found them on the back of her neck while she was brushing her hair. There were two on either side of her spine; one with a clearly defined nose and eyes while the other was more menacing with sharp points on the top.

Autobot and Decepticon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry this is short again but I haven't had much time to do any writing.**

**Please Review, all opinions are welcome. If you have any idea that might go well Please let me know.**

**Cheers

* * *

**

**Chapter 4**

"What are you guys doing?" Mikaela asked as she approached the team of vehicles in the Witwicky backyard.

"Reconnaissance." Bumblebee replied. At the same time Sam said, "Spying."

Mikaela's curiosity deepened. "Who are you spying on?"

"The same person they've been watching for over a week." Sam answered.

Mikaela frowned slightly. "Cameron? You guys have to stop this. I mean, so what she has a couple of tattoos she doesn't want to explain." The vehicles remained silent. "I don't think I've ever seen the Autobots this obsessive before, except over you and the Allspark." Both humans missed the tension that flickered between the Autobots. With a muttered goodbye Sam and Mikaela left the mech's to their silent vigil.

* * *

It was fully dark when the Autobots moved. A hologram flickered to life. It had honey blonde hair and startling blue eyes. Clothed in jeans and a black and yellow leather jacket, the hologram walked across the property. 

Sam and Mikaela looked up from the movie they were watching to see the mysterious person crossed the lawn. Dashing out of the house Sam almost ran into one of Ironhide's legs.

"What's going on? Was that Bumblebee?" He demanded as his Camaro rumbled in front of him. A flash of light came from Bumblebee's headlights, against the side of the house an image formed. It was moving. It took Sam a moment to realize that they were seeing what Bumblebee's holoform was seeing. The garden scene flickered and changed, it was now inside a building, a hallway.

"Where is he?" Mikaela asked. Ratchet pointed to the house next-door. A head covered in blonde hair peered out a window. The image on the side of the house changed to one looking down on the group on the lawn.

"He's in Cameron's house! Why?" Mikaela gasped.

"Reconnaissance." Optimus stated bluntly.

"Couldn't you watch her the same way as before?" Sam asked.

"Too much risk. The Decepticons are becoming more active." He turned back to the image.

* * *

Bumblebee crept around the upper floor of the house. It was a fairly simple layout; two bedrooms at either end of the hallway with a bathroom and open landing in the middle. A quick scan showed that there was only one life-energy in the house. 

"Sir, only one human in the house." Bumblebee's voice crackled over the speakers in his Camaro form.

"Continue recon."

Padding silently over carpet Bumblebee followed the sound of running water. A door blocked his path, running a heat-sensor over the room behind the door proved that the sole human occupant was having a shower.

Sam and Mikaela blinked a couple of times before realizing that they were watching a red, blue and yellow image of Cameron.

"Bumblebee turn it off! Stop looking!" Mikaela demanded, Sam colored and looked away to avoid Mikaela's wrath. Completely oblivious to why Mikaela was angry Bumblebee continued to monitor the human. Optimus watched Bumblebee's transmission as he sent a short burst of energy in the direction of the house. The Autobots watched avidly as Cameron's knees buckled and she leaned against a wall to avoid hitting the floor. A grim triumphant smile graced Optimus' face.

* * *

"Woah." Cameron clutched her head. The light-headed feeling passed almost as quickly as it came. She shut off the water, unwilling to risk falling and hitting her head on the tile floor if the dizzy spell came again. Stepping into her fluffy blue bathrobe she left the bathroom, walking across the landing Cameron paused feeling a set of eyes on her, clutching the robe closer she turned. A pair of piercing eyes stared at her from the other end of the hall. Heaving a sigh of relief Cameron turned her back on the poster on her brothers' closed door. Stepping into her room a wave of dizziness swept over her. Dropping to her knees Cameron fell, her back hit the edge of her bed and hands landed limply at her side as the world faded from view. 

Bumblebee entered the room, his optics immediately focusing in the prone form on the floor.

"The female is unconscious." He reported. Not liking the way the girl was positioned he lifted her up off the floor and placed her gently on the bed. He had learned something from spending so much time with humans. They were soft and were damaged easily; they were especially vulnerable in stasis.

"You must determine where the Allspark is located." Optimus ordered. Bumblebee heard Sam. "Wait, you think Cameron has the Allspark?" No-one answered him.

Bumblebee focused on the body in front of him. It was small compared to other humans, maybe five foot two. He heard Sam and Mikaela making suggestions about where the Allspark could be. Ignoring them Optimus channeled another pulse of energy at the house. The form in front of Bumblebee twitched then surged, her chest arching.

"Oh my god!" Mikaela gasped. When Cameron's body relaxed again Sam asked. "What was that?"

Optimus answered. "The Allspark"

Sam noticed something no-one else did. "Could it be in her chain? The one she always wears." The group looked back at the image on the outside wall. There, around her neck was the same long silver necklace that she wore everyday. With an order from Optimus Bumblebee reached down and tried to lift the chain off her neck. It didn't move. "Maybe it's stuck on something."

"What could it be stuck on?" Ironhide asked curiously.

"Her bra." Mikaela answered. "Maybe she wears one to bed." A look passed between the male members of the group.

"Bumblebee remove the chain." A tinge of hope colored Optimus' voice.

Bumblebee tried again to pull the chain away, nothing. He pulled apart the edges of the blue robe, following the silver chain with his holoform fingers he ran into a ridge of red material. A muted muttering sounded in his ear. Unaware that what he was doing was inappropriate, Bumblebee lifted the material up and slid the large pendent from under it. Lifting the heart-pendent to his face Bumblebee studied the filigree design. Not Cybertronian but it was heavy. An energon pulse came from within Bumblebee's spark, he looked expectantly at the necklace. Nothing. He heard the disappointment in the voices of those outside. A gasping sound drew Bumblebee's attention back to the bed. Cameron was arching off the bed again, her breathing was short and rough. A blue light shone through the skin above her heart. She fell to the floor, writhing.

"What's happening?" Sam asked desperately as Cameron's scar began to glow white.

Optimus looked sad as he answered. "We have located the Allspark."

"Why is she breathing like that?" Mikaela demanded as Cameron's breathing became more labored as she thrashed on the floor. Bumblebee leaned over Cameron trying to control her movements.

"The energy from the Allspark is cutting off her airways." Ratchet answered.

"What do we do?"

"Bumblebee! The energon pulse. Close off your spark!" Optimus ordered suddenly. Obeying quickly Bumblebee closed his spark container, Cameron's breathing changed almost immediately. The dull blue light that had begun to spread across her chest faded. Once Cameron was breathing normally Bumblebee propped her against the bed again. When the room looked exactly as it did before he had entered Bumblebee flicked off his hologram.

"What does that mean?" Sam asked once Bumblebee was bipedal again.

"That the Allspark is safe." Optimus replied. "And not yet ready to be awakened."

"What has that got to do with the Allspark? She had like a seizure of something."

Mikaela looked troubled. "She is the Allspark isn't she?"

Silence confirmed her conclusion.

* * *

Cameron lifted her head off the edge of the mattress. 

"That teaches me not to eat vegemite and marshmallows before bed." Shaking the sleep-haze from her head Cameron stood up. Sunlight poured through the narrow gap in the curtains. Cameron pulled the curtains open further.

"Oh shit."

There on the side of the road was that damned truck. It was stalking her, she was certain. Everywhere she looked it was there. A shiver of unease rolled down Cameron's spine; she had never seen its driver. Which meant that either the truck was alive or the driver was very good at hide-and-seek. She prayed it was the latter. Which ever it was she had to get away from the Peterbilt. Dressing quickly she left the house and ducked behind some bushes. Darting a look at Sam's house she saw his Camaro's door was open. Hoping that trucks' driver wasn't watching she made a mad dash for the car, practically lunging into the seat she hid on the floor. Sam had seen Cameron's race to Bumblebee, curiosity urging him forward Sam leaned into the car.

"Cam, are you okay?" Big green eyes looked up at him.

"Shh! Get in. That semi is following me."

With a small smile Sam backed the Camaro out and headed for school.

* * *

Optimus' radio crackled as Bumblebee contacted him. "Sir, the female, Cameron, has noticed that she is being watched." 

"How did you find this out?"

"She dived into me and told Sam that a semi was following her."

Optimus sighed as he drove past the high school, he recognized Bumblebee's holoform leaning on himself as adolescents milled chaotically. "Take over surveillance until we decide what to do."

"Yes sir." The holoform looked at Optimus and nodded. Blasting his horn in response Optimus left the school behind.

Mikaela watched as Cameron peeked out from behind a tree. She apparently saw everything was all right and emerged from her hiding place.

"What was that about?"

Cameron laughed slightly hysterically as she scanned the area with her eyes. "I'm being stalked by a truck. I think I just saw it."

_A red and blue one no doubt_. Mikaela thought dryly. "Come on Cam. Let's get home, we need to study for tomorrow's exam."

Cam nodded and shook off her feeling of being watched.


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay exams are over so hopefully i will be able to write a bit more **

**Please read and review.**

**Cheers

* * *

****Chapter 5**

They were back. Sam peered out his bedroom window to see the familiar Topkick roll into his driveway.

"Bee's out the back." The truck flicked its lights in thanks and continued forward. Sam turned back to his girlfriend.

"Your parents are going to start asking questions if you keep sending them out for dinner." Mikaela said reclining on Sam's bed.

"I don't want to consider their reaction if they found out that I was helping the Autobots spy on the neighbors."

"You're lucky Cameron doesn't know what you're doing. She already suspects that Optimus is following her." Sam groaned at what he envisioned Cameron's response would be.

A crash outside brought both teenagers to the window. The black and yellow mech was crouched behind a tree; in his hand was an unconscious Cameron. Ironhide's grill slid into place as Bumblebee placed the girl in his truck bed. Before Sam or Mikaela could even yelp in protest the large Topkick disappeared around the corner.

"Bee!" The yellow mech looked into the second-storey window. "What the hell did you just do?"

"Damaged a building." He gestured to the house, which now had an extra large window.

Paling, Sam turned away from the scene of destruction. "You know what I mean. What were you doing with Cameron?"

"Prot-tecting the Allspark." Bumblebee's voice crackled back.

"You just kidnapped Cameron." Mikaela stated.

"She is par-rt of t-the Allspark." The newly transformed Camaro slid back into his parking spot. Sam looked at Mikaela.

"We should do something about this, shouldn't we?" Mikaela nodded. They ran outside and climbed into Bumblebee.

* * *

Optimus looked down at the small creature that now housed every hope for Cybertron. How could such a fragile thing hold the basis of everything that the Autobots believed in? Gently he moved the girl from Ironhide and onto a table in the medi-lab, stepping back he let Ratchet take over.

Several minutes later the medic moved away from the table, a troubled look on his face.

"Is everything all right?"

"She is fairly healthy by human standards; there are a few concerns though. She has some scarring on her heart as well as evidence of severe trauma." At Optimus' alarmed look he continued. "The scarring on her heart most likely came from the Allspark. As for the rest, it appears that her body is recovering from some type of illness. One she had for an extended period."

Optimus looked down at Cameron. All his fears and hopes revolved around this one human female. He prayed to Primus that she would be able to survive that challenges that faced her.

* * *

Cameron slowly pulled herself out of sleep. Her head felt thick and fuzzy. Groaning she sat up, the room span before her newly opened eyes. It took her several moments before she realized that it wasn't her bedroom. In fact it looked nothing like her room or any other room she had ever seen. The walls were bare metal, a massive steel table stood against a wall, along two other walls were benches covered with weird gadgets. The room would have been less disturbing if the benches and tables weren't twelve feet tall. _Where am I?_

Standing unsteadily she pushed herself away from the make-shift pallet on the floor. Stumbling slowly to what appeared to be another wall, except that it was open three feet at one end. It was a door, a thirty foot tall door. Easing through the space Cameron found herself in a hallway of even larger proportions. Eyes wide she followed the hall until it reached another door. This one was almost all the way open, voices were coming through. Angry voices.

"…kidnapped her! Do you have any idea how damaging this could be? If anyone higher up thinks that you've begun kidnapping kids as part of an invasion strategy they will try to destroy you."

_Captain Lennox?_

"It was becoming too dangerous to leave her unprotected." A strange deep voice replied calmly.

"She could have been protected in her own home. Now I have to convince her parents not to get the police involved."

_Were they talking about her?_ Cameron eased closer to the door still hiding her from view.

"The police would be ineffective and unnecessary. The Decepticons are aware of the Allspark. They are searching for it." The deep voice sounded confident. "By taking the female we reduced the risk to other humans…Ratchet has some medical information that troubles us."

Peaking around the edge of the sliding door Cameron smothered a gasp. Captain Lennox was standing infront of a gigantic metal man. Wait, three metal men! The largest was red and blue, standing next to it was a large black one and a pale yellow one. The yellow one moved forward, an image in the shape of a human came out of its arm. When it spoke it sounded very professional.

"Further scans have shown that her body has suffered a major illness. The scarring on her heart, caused by the Allspark shard, has had no adverse effect on her health. It does appear that her cells are regenerating at an increased rate."

"What does that mean exactly?" Lennox asked.

"Her body is capable of healing at a greater rate than other humans." Cameron watched silently as Lennox paced. He looked like he was about to say something when his phone went off in his pocket.

Answering it quickly he informed the giant robots that he had to leave. With a nod from the red one the black one began to change. Metal slid against metal as it shrank and morphed until it was a shiny black Topkick truck. Without hesitation Captain Lennox climbed into cab and took off.

Thoroughly shaken by what she had seen Cameron backed away from the door. Moving as quietly as possible as she headed back towards the room she woke up in. halfway down the hallway she looked over her shoulder. The two remaining metal things were speaking and not intending to leave that room.

Turning back she came face to leg with a robot. Following the leg all the way up to the body and head Cameron noticed that it had not been with the other three and Lennox, this one was hurt-your-eyes yellow. Looking down at her with bright blue eyes she saw that it was at least seventeen feet tall. Cameron did the only thing she could think of, she screamed and ran.

Heedless of where she went Cameron rushed into the room containing the two other robots stopping short of running into the leg of the red and blue mech. Judging by how far back she needed to crane her neck she guessed it was over twenty feet tall.

"Oh hell no. I'm gonna take my chances with the little one." Cameron spun on her heel and ran back through the doorway.

Unfortunately the smaller mech had followed her, causing her to almost run into the leg of the bright yellow robot. Dodging quickly Cameron ran between its legs. Racing back into the medi-bay Cameron attacked the steel door with all her strength plus the added power of adrenalin, the door slid closed.

Feeling slightly better now that there was something between her and the three metal monsters Cameron leaned against the door. A loud clanging startled her away from the door. A pause. The clanging sounded again, Cameron realized that they were knocking.

Against all reason and logic she answered. "He-h-hello?"

"Cameron Oakham I apologize for scaring you. Would you allow us to enter?" The deep voice Cameron recognized as the red machine echoed through the door. Cameron debated with herself; the metal car/men seemed to be polite and Captain Lennox trusted them, and now that she calming down a little she felt a feeling of '_safe_' radiating through the door. Gathering her courage Cameron braced her feet on the floor and pulled. It didn't budge.

"I can't open the door. It's too heavy."

The metal door eased open. Jumping back Cameron watched as the red machine easily pushed the sliding aside. Backing further away Cameron's back hit the leg of the table. The pale robot bustled forward to one of the benches.

"I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots." The red and blue machine held out a hand to Cameron. Unsure of what to do she placed her hand in his. She tumbled into the hand as it moved forward unexpectedly. Clutching the metal hand, Cameron held on for dear life as the hand flew through the air. When it stopped Cameron tumbled onto the table, at least now she didn't hurt her neck when she looked up at them. A whirring noise from the wall caused the table to rise.

Now she was face to face with the bright yellow mech. Happy electric blue eyes stared at her.

"Why am I here? Where is here?" Cameron asked looking away from Blue-eyes.

"You were in an accident almost a year ago." Optimus replied.

"So?"

"The accident was caused by me. I am sorry that you sustained so much damage."

Cameron blinked. Her father had told her they had hit a truck not a giant robot. "We hit a truck not a… whatever you are."

"We are autonomous robots." The pale medic answered.

"You may call us Autobots." Optimus proceeded to introduce the other 'bots. "This is our Medical officer Ratchet." The pale 'bot nodded and moved some tools to the table. "You have already met Bumblebee and Ironhide. Though not in their true forms."

"You're Bumblebee?" Cameron asked the bright yellow mech. It nodded and smiled. "I'm guessing Ironhide is captain Lennox's truck." The surprised looks on the metallic faces infront of her caused Cameron to feel a degree of satisfaction. "I saw him climb into a truck-that's-not-a-truck." She explained.

Ratchet moved forward and ran a scan over her, looking down Cameron saw that she was no longer wearing her big pajama shirt. Clutching her hands over her body she felt the non-existent material. The light shut off and her clothes were back in place.

"What was that?"

"A medical scan. You body is healing at an accelerated rate." Ratchet motioned towards her arm Looking down Cameron saw what had been a deep cut two days ago was now a new scar. No scab, no pain.

"How did that happen?"

Optimus stepped forward. "The accident you were in forced a piece of…metal into your chest. The shard is the foundation of life on our planet." He knew that this type of information would scare the human but they running out of time. "The Allspark piece disappeared inside you."

Cameron stared at Optimus. Memories of the hospital came forward but she pushed them away. "So what does that make me?"

"The Allspark." He replied. Sam and Mikaela snuck through the door unnoticed.

Cameron shook her head. "No. The doctors didn't find anything in my chest. They couldn't find anything wrong with me at all." Her voice carried a trace of desperation.

Ratchet answered her. "The Allspark allowed your body to heal."

"But I died!" The silence echoed around her. "In that car accident I died. Probably when your 'Allspark' went through me." The Autobots froze. Sam and Mikaela looked at each other.

"How do you know you died?" Ratchet asked curiously.

Cameron's face took on a faraway look. "I felt it. It was dark and warm… kind of comforting. Then there was a pain in my chest." She touched the scar over her heart. "Then I was in the hospital with the doctors saying I was perfectly fine except for a few small cuts and bruises."

How did they miss the damage done to your internal systems?" Ratchet asked.

Cameron shifted uncomfortably, as if there was something she didn't want to talk about. "I don't now." She sighed dejectedly. "I should be dead. No matter that the Allspark hit me. I should be dead."

"You did die." Optimus' expression was sad. "I killed you."

Cameron smile softly and shook her head. "No you saved my life." A look of confusion passed over everyone else in the room. "The Allspark gives life doesn't it? Heals too?" she turned to Ratchet.

"It can." The medic replied.

She faced Optimus. "The Allspark saved my life when it killed me."

"I don't understand." He replied, his confusion echoed around the room on every face. "How is that possible?"

Cameron shifted uncomfortably. "It's not something I talk about a lot. I mean, it was a very stressful time for my family."

"It is related to the damage suffered by your systems." Ratchet guessed.

"Yes I was sick, very sick. That was the reason we were in Nevada in the first place. We came to see a specialist."

"What was your illness?"

Cameron swallowed. "I…I had…cancer." She breathed deeply, amazingly she felt better for saying it. Unfortunately not everyone was as relieved, Sam and Mikaela clambered onto the table while the Autobots accessed their databanks.

"What?" Mikaela burst out.

"Mikaela? Sam? What are you doing here?"

"We came with Bumblebee." Sam replied as he stood next to the bright yellow head.

"You know them?" Cameron gestured to the Autobots.

"Wait! You have cancer?" Mikaela asked.

Cameron grimaced. "No I don't, I used to. It just up and disappeared after the accident."

"What kin-"Sam's question was cut short by a burst of high-pitched communication between the robots. The humans watched as they argued.

"What do you think they're saying?" Sam asked.

"They're worried…about…my damage?" Cameron said as she listened.

"How do you know that?" Mikaela asked with a scared looked on her face.

Cameron turned to her. "I don't now, I just do."

"It's the A-allspark." Bumblebee crackled.

"What?" Cameron, Sam and Mikaela asked at the same time.

"It gav-ve us life." He said as though it explained everything. Optimus and Ratchet stopped talking in Cybertronian instead they watched Cameron silently.

"Would you guys please stop looking at me as if I'm about to drop dread. I told you I'm fine. The doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me. I'm cured." Optimus didn't look convinced but Ratchet satisfied himself with another scan, resulting in Cameron temporarily losing her clothes.

Feeling her good-humor return she said laughingly. "The next time you do that I want a warning."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Cameron sat on her bed. Bored. She had been a 'guest' on the Autobot base for two weeks and was now decidedly sick and tired of the same metal rooms. The base was a renovated Air-force installation. They used mostly the hangers and connected builds since those were the only ones big enough.

At first it had been cool; she would watch Ratchet tinker in his medi-bay, learn about the Autobots and Cybertron from Optimus, she even got to watch Ironhide during target practice.

Eventually the shock of seeing massive robots walking around corners had faded. And now she was bored.

Bored and homesick.

Cameron drummed her fingertips against her cheek. Bored! The room they had constructed for her was fairly large but sparse in the way of adornments and furniture. It had a comfortable bed, a full length mirror and a dresser. How they had gotten her clothes here, she had no idea.

With a sigh Cameron pushed away from the bed and started to stroll through the now familiar corridors. _'If only something interesting would happen.'_ Cam thought sullenly. She had reached the main hanger when the alarms went off. The ground rumbled as Optimus and Ratchet ran into the room.

"Decepticons." Optimus informed them. "Ratchet contact Ironhide and Bumblebee. We're under attack." He spotted Cameron. "Cameron go to the brig. Stay safe."

Cameron nodded and ran to the corridor as the wall to her left was blown out. The explosion sent Cameron flying backwards before she landed hard on her right shoulder and plowed across the floor. She vaguely heard Optimus call her name, she would have responded but her head was filled with a deep aching pain as stars danced before her eyes.

* * *

Optimus saw Cameron get flung across the hall. He had only enough time to call out to her before Starscream entered through the destroyed wall. Following close behind was Barricade and Scorponok. Frenzy appeared on Barricade's shoulder. Starscream sneered at the pitiful sight Optimus and Ratchet offered. He had seen sparklings present a tougher challenge. 

"Where is the Allspark?" Silence. He growled softly before continuing, "Come now Prime, we know you have it. Hand it over."

"What do you want with it Starscream? It's unstable." Optimus had to stall until Ironhide and Bumblebee made an appearance; without them to even the odds this confrontation could quickly become their last. Optimus flicked a glance at Cameron, she was leaning on her elbows looking dazed. Looking back at the Decepticons he prepared to defend the object of their hope.

Barricade was watching Optimus closely when his eyes darted to the side and back. Correctly accessing the reason for Prime's sudden tenseness Barricade grinned before moving in the direction of the groaning fleshy. The sound of powered up weapons told Barricade Optimus had made a move towards him. Picking up the adolescent female he returned to his position at Starscream's right.

"It appears that Primes has a human." Barricade held out the dark haired girl. Starscream laughed maniacally as he took Cameron roughly away from Barricade. Holding her like a trophy Starscream brandished her in front of Optimus' suddenly anxious face.

"Put her down Starscream." Optimus demanded.

The Air-Commander cackled some more. "I'll make you a deal Prime. You give me the Allspark piece and I won't hurt the human…much." His grip tightened they could hear the crunch as bones snapped in her fragile body. Optimus jerked forward as Cameron writhed in Starscream's clasp. Her scream of pain echoed around the cavernous hall. Then she was still. Her shoulders heaved as her lungs fought for oxygen, she shuddered one last time before remaining silent in Starscream's hand. Optimus and Ratchet watched as Starscream crushed the girl and then stiffened. A slight glow emanated from Cameron's body. Starscream seemed to freeze as if he'd been switched off.

* * *

Cameron lolled in a state of pain. The ache in her head from the explosion was added upon as pain surged through her body as a clawed hand squeezed her from shoulder to knee, putting pressure on her already injured shoulder. The world before her eyes began to go dark as pain engulfed her already hazy brain. Cameron felt her lungs laboring as she fought to breathe while Starscream continued to crush her. Finally the pain became too much and Cameron blacked out. 

As she felt the rest of her senses begin to dim she knew she was going to die. A little more pressure and her spine would snap as well as causing her heart to either be punctured by one of her already broken ribs or burst from the strain of pumping blood through her maltreated body. Gulping what she was sure was her last breath Cameron gave herself over to the growing darkness.

A wedge of light shone through the dark. A bright ball of warm light, encouraging her not to give up the last of her life. Reaching out to the warmth Cameron felt a change occur within her body. She became steel and power. An image flashed through Cameron's mind. A memory.

_It was Power. __Old power.__The power to destroy and create.__The __Allspark_

_It was more of __an awareness__ than a consciousness. It knew that it had created the beings around it. It knew that there was a war going on. And it knew that many had died._

The image sharpened

_A metal planet.__Covered in wondrous cities, a glittering gem of civilization._

The image changed

_The cities were destroyed. The countryside had been ravaged and turned into a battlefield, littered with the bodies of soldiers._

_It_ raged through Cameron. A new sense of awareness formed in her mind. The Allspark chose no sides, _it_ was neutral. Cameron wasn't. Cameron's consciousness merged with the Allspark. She became aware of all the transformers in the vicinity, from the crushing grip of Starscream and the menacing forms behind him to the protective presence of the Autobots.

Awareness swamped her mind, she was on the brink of destruction. That knowledge provoked Cameron to act. With a burst of inherent understanding she searched for Starscreams' spark. With the last of her strength Cameron twisted her hands so that they pressed against Starscreams' fingers. Through the metal Cameron felt the mix of energon and electricity that ran through his systems. Linking to that mixture she followed it back to its source making a quick connection to the spark in Starscreams' chest. The white-hot energy that made up Starscreams' spark resisted the pull of Camerons' link. Focusing, she pulled the power away from the Air-Commander causing him to seize up. His hold on Cameron eased and she fell limply from his grasp, landing with a thud at his feet. As the last contact was broken between Starscream and Cameron, power and life rushed back into the Decepticon.

* * *

Confusion made thinking difficult. Starscream was certain he'd had a human in his hand a moment ago and where had those other Autobots come from? Panicking at the holes in his thoughts and the fairer odds Starscream called a retreat and bailed out through the hole he had made in the wall. 

The Autobots didn't wait, as soon as Cameron was out of Starscream's grasp they opened fire. Rounds of bullets ands missiles chased the Decepticons away from the base. Optimus, Ironhide and Bumblebee followed the Decepticons and continued their barrage of artillery. Ratchet approached the inert form on the rubble-strewn ground. Cameron's head was hanging limply from her neck as her upper body was supported by a chunk of cement, her arms and legs were obviously broken as they stuck out at odd angles. Picking her up gently Ratchet felt the delicate body shift unnaturally, as if it had no tension. A quick scan showed the medic all he needed to see.

* * *

Optimus entered the building followed by his soldiers. Immediately his attention centered on Ratchet and Cameron. The human lay limply in his open hand. Fear gripped Optimus' spark. Avoiding their gazes Ratchet moved, carrying Cameron, towards the corridor. Optimus, Ironhide and Bumblebee feared the worst as they watched the medic walk away with their hope.

* * *

**Hi, I'd like to point out that I have no medical knowledge. So if I make any mistakes (like if hearts can't actually be punctured by broken ribs) it's purely due to my lack of knowledge.**

**Thanks for reading. if you have any questions or can see any plot holes please let me know and i'll try to fix them**

**Cheers**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm sorry this took forever to get up. My monitor blew up and I had to get a new one. i had this ready for about a day before the monitor died. so sorry.**

**The next chapter probably won't be up for a while as my brain is not co-operating and providing ideas. **

**Please review (it might get my lazy brain working again.)**

**Cheers****

* * *

Chapter 7**

Amazing! Truly amazing!

Ratchet stared down at the unconscious human on his work-table. When he had first picked her up off the floor she had been on the verge of death, her body was broken and bruised. But in the time it had taken him to travel from the battle scene to his medi-bay the worst of Cameron's injuries were healing.

At the moment she was merely sleeping. Her broken arms were in splints because she was healing so fast. More thorough scans showed that Cameron was not only healing but changing. Her skeletal structure appeared to be morphing as he watched, transforming into a techno-organic alloy.

Once again he marveled at the powers and properties of the Allspark.

Cameron's body tensed and strained as the changes covered her entire skeleton. Ratchet watched tensely and felt superfluous as he stood beside her unable to help.

* * *

Cameron's scream reverberated through the door and into the hallway. An anxious Optimus Prime and Ironhide were startled by the sudden sound. Ironhide tensed and powered his cannons instinctively, Optimus calmed down as evidence that Cameron was alive nearly broke his auditory circuits.

* * *

Cameron wrenched herself out of the Pit of sleep. Her head felt heavy as she pushed herself into a sitting position. Actually her whole body felt heavy. Moving slowly she crawled to the edge of Ratchet's examination table. The floor was ten feet away. 

"Damn." She groaned. "Let's try ESP." Cameron thought hard. She pictured Ratchet walking through the door. Minutes past. "Well it looks like I ain't psychic." She muttered to herself.

Peeking over the edge again Cameron weighed the pros and cons of jumping.

_Pro:_ She would be on the ground.

_Con:_ She would probably break her legs.

Memories of her ordeal with the silver Decepticon rushed forward. She shivered and pushed the memories away; she didn't ever want to go through anything like that again.

She may not be scared of death but she was certainly no fan of pain.

Cameron was just about to push herself off the edge when Optimus' head appeared around the door.

"Cameron!"

The sudden noise caused Cameron to jump with surprise, her foot slipped and she fell. Scrabbling desperately she tried to catch hold of the edge of the table. When she stopped moving she found herself hanging by her fingertips.

"It's good to see you too Prime." She said dryly. "Could you give me a hand?" Optimus' hand appeared beneath her. Letting go of the table she dropped lightly into his palm. "How're you doing big guy?"

Optimus ignored her question. "How are you feeling? Ratchet said you were changed."

"What do you mean?" Cameron asked slightly worried.

Optimus brought her closer to his face. "When you were crushed by Starscream you were injured badly."

Memories of pain and darkness flooded back, this time Cameron couldn't push them back. She clutched one of Optimus' bent fingers. The memories changed. The vision she had had of the metal world returned.

The shadow past, leaving Cameron feeling both strengthened and weakened. When she spoke her voice sounded tired.

"I understand why you fight." Optimus stared and she continued. "I have seen Cybertron and the war." She laid a comforting hand on his face plate. "I am so sorry."

The somber mood was broken by Ratchet coming through the door.

"Sir, Cameron is not to be disturbed." He stopped short at the sight of his patient sitting in Optimus' hand. "She needs to rest." He said implacably.

Optimus smiled at the challenging tone and placed Cameron back on the table. "Rest, I'll be back later."

* * *

Puttering around the industrial kitchen of the ex-military base Cameron sighed and appreciated the quiet atmosphere and that had followed the tension-filled one after the attack. The tension had only been dispelled after Cameron had climbed out of Ratchet's medi-bay and determinedly announced that she would not submit to any more tests. Hoping to prove that she was perfectly fine, Cameron had clambered up Optimus' back and sat on his shoulder. She was beaming with pride when the wave of dizziness had washed over her. Pain had exploded in her skull as she began to sway. Cameron had fallen and was half-way to the floor before Prime was able to catch her. That was the first time since the Allspark had become fully awake that Cameron suffered through a memory. 

That vision had shown her the Allspark Cube's last moments on Cybertron. Cameron had watched as a platoon led by Bumblebee guarded the secret location of the Allspark's hiding place. She had witnessed Bumblebee's torture at Megatron's hands. His crackling voice now made sense; Megatron had shattered his voice capacitor.

After returning to consciousness, Cameron had had to endure another week in Ratchet's care. Cameron smiled as she remembered the looks on the Autobots faces when she recounted her experience.

Cracking an egg over the heated pan Cameron waited for Optimus Prime and Bumblebee to return from Tranquility. She hadn't been allowed to leave the base due to fears that the Decepticons would try and capture her if she was unguarded.

Sighing softly Cameron transferred the fried egg onto toast and waited for the rest of her supplies to come in. The rumble of an engine brought Cameron out of her depressive slump. She looked up to see a shiny black Topkick enter the hanger. Excitement trilled through Cameron; Ironhide and Captain Lennox always had something interesting news.

"Ironhide! Will! Welcome back." Cam called in greeting as Lennox approached her and Ironhide transformed. "Prime, Bumblebee and the kids will be back soon." She said referring to Sam and Mikaela. Ever since she had merged with the Allspark she had felt like she was older than them. Millions of years older.

"Where did they go?" Lennox asked making himself comfortable at the table.

"Into town. I needed more stuff. Can I get you anything?"

Lennox waved away her question before replying with his own. "Still not allowed out eh?"

"Yeah, you'd think I was malfunctioning or a sparkling." Cameron smiled.

"Sparkling?" Lennox asked confused.

"A transformer baby." She explained. Lennox looked satisfied. "How's my family?" Cameron had been wondering for a while what her family was being told about her disappearance.

"Your father has been informed about the situation. I think your mother and Mitch have been told that you are travelling."

Cameron smiled weakly and finished her lunch. The silence was interrupted by the arrival of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. Sam and Mikaela jumped out and began unloading crates of supplies out of Bumblebee's trunk. Optimus' trailer was filled as well. Cameron jumped to her feet.

"Did you get everything?" She asked excitedly.

"Yes. I still don't understand why you wanted all of this." The flamed semi rumbled through his radio. Cameron stuck her tongue out at him. The last of the groceries were taken from Bumblebee's trunk and he transformed.

Lennox watched as Ironhide and Bumblebee pulled large boxes out of the trailer. "What is it?"

Cameron grinned. "A new bed, a lounge set, dining set, a large-screen t.v., state-of-the-art stereo system. You know, the important things."

"How long do you plan to stay here?" Sam asked unpacking another box of goodies.

Cameron shrugged. "As long as Prime intends to keep me." All eyes turned to Optimus.

His expression was unreadable. "Further tests need to be completed."

Cameron laughed as she hefted a crate onto the kitchen counter. "That means 'not any time soon'."

They continued to re-stock the kitchen while Bumblebee and Ironhide moved the larger boxes to their appropriate homes. Throughout the work the Autobots and humans chattered companionably. It wasn't until Cameron was making coffee for the humans that Bumblebee's constant crackling finally became too irritating.

"Bumbles, doesn't that irritate you?"

"What?"

Cameron waved her fingers around her throat. "The voice thing, annoying at all?"

"Of course." Bumblebee smiled. Cameron grinned, walking past him she placed a hand on his ankle.

"Goodnight Bee." She said quietly concentrating on the spark within her. The others watched as the connection between Cameron and Bumblebee began to glow. The scout stiffened and rocked. "Catch him please Ironhide." A hard shove had Bumblebee toppling into Ironhide's hands. They watched in shock as Bumblebee's optics faded and went out.

"What did you do?" Sam said angrily after a moment. He ran to his guardian's side. "Bumblebee! Wake up!"

"Let him rest. He needs a chance to…recuperate."

Sam watched anxiously as Cameron kept walking and disappeared down the corridor.

Prime knelt by Bumblebee's head. "Ironhide contact Ratchet."

"What did she do?" Lennox asked as Optimus examined the little scout. Ratchet ran into the hanger.

"Ratchet find out what happened to Bumblebee. "

The CMO kneeled over the prone form running scans and diagnostics. He looked up shaking his head. "He isn't responding to any electro-pulse probes. I can't determine a treatment until I know what happened."

Prime scowled. "Keep him safe, I'm going to find Cameron."

Stalking through the base he found Cameron putting together her new bed. Prime stood in the doorway and observed as the young human demonstrated amazing strength.

"Are you going you come in Optimus? Or freeze your aft of in the hallway?" She looked up from the semi-constructed bed.

"What is wrong with Bumblebee?" Prime asked without ceremony.

"Nothing."

"Why is he off-line?"

"I depleted his spark and replaced the energy with some of mine."

"You can do that?" Optimus was astonished.

Cameron nodded happily. "I had plenty of time to learn about my new abilities while I was stuck in Ratchet's lab."

"Abilities?"

"Yeah." Cameron finished slotting the frame together as she explained. "Ratchet once said that the Allspark gave life. I thought that seeing as the Allspark is now complete I could do the same."

"Bumblebee is no longer functioning. I wouldn't call that life-giving."

Cameron grinned. "No but this is." She pulled her cell-phone out of her pocket. "Meet Slider. Slider transform." Optimus watched with astonished optics as the little red slide phone buzzed and whirred as it changed.

Standing in front of him now was the smallest transformer he had ever seen. Even smaller than Frenzy. It stood no taller than one foot high with little blue optics and red armor.

"I know it's not a very original name but it fit." Cameron said as the little mech stood on her had.

"Greetings Optimus Prime." Slider said in a cute, high-pitched voice.

Optimus lowered his head to look the small transformer in the face. "Greetings little one."

Cameron gazed down at the phone/bot with affection. "It's because of Slider that I felt I could help Bumblebee." The mini-bot climbed onto Prime's face and studied him close-up.

"Can you return Bumblebee to normal?"

Cameron's smile was massive. "Better than normal." She turned to the mini-bot. "How long has he been out?"

"Thirteen minutes." Slider answered matter-of-factly.

"That's long enough. Let's get him back." Reaching out, Slider climbed limberly from Optimus to Cameron's shoulder. Cameron led the way back to the hanger.

Everyone was still surrounding the inactive Bumblebee.

"Prime, his spark is still active but only barely." Ratchet looked at Cameron with a perplexed expression. "Tell me how to repair him."

"Move aside and I'll do it." The confidence in her voice must have given them some reassurance. The Autobots backed away but Sam remained at his head, suspicion clear in his eyes. Mikaela stood next to Will Lennox and Ironhide.

Cameron climbed onto Bumblebee's chest, placing her hands over Bee's spark container she focused on the almost white-hot power in her chest. Channeling the energy, she felt it flow through her body, down her arms and into Bumblebee. Moving her left hand up to the side of his jaw Cameron pulled more energy from her heart/spark to regenerate the shattered circuits and components within his vocal processor. Pulling away slightly she sent one last burst of energy into the yellow robot beneath her. The last thing Cameron saw before blacking out was Bumblebee's optics lighting up.

* * *

Slider jumped onto Cameron's chest. The mini-bot had seen her creator fall back as life had flowed back into the large yellow mech. Looking into Cameron's empty pale face Slider twitched with fear; she quickly searched the individuals around her until she found the only one she knew. 

"Optimus Prime. Cameron is not functioning."

"What is that?" Sam asked inching closer to Bumblebee's head. Bumblebee lifted his head to see what was lying on his chest.

"This is Slider, Cameron's creation." Prime answered. Slider nodded to the group before leaping onto Prime's arm and crawling up to his face.

"Cameron is broken. Introductions later, fix creator now." Slider demanded anxiously.

A groan and a mumble sent excitement through the little mech's circuits. "It's okay Slider. I'm awake."

* * *

Cameron opened her eyes in time to see a little red body launch itself from Optimus' face and land awkwardly in her lap. The tiny metal body scrambled up to Cameron's neck and curled around it. 

"It's nice to see you too. Although I'm fairly sure I wasn't out that long." Cameron mumbled as she sat up slowly.

"What happened? And why are you sitting on my neck? Bumblebee asked.

With a surprised yelp Cameron stood on unsteady legs. Ratchet caught her before she fell over. "Thanks Ratch. So what do ya think?" Cameron gestured towards Bumblebee.

"He appears to be fully functional." The medic replied as he ran a scan over the scout and then over Cameron. Slider jumped when the infra-red light passed over her.

"And with out that crackling." Cameron stated proudly as she place a calming hand on Slider's back. The group turned their attention from the mini-bot to the scout, who proceeded to demonstrate his new vocal dexterity.

Cameron moved to the side with Optimus and Ratchet. A reassuring hand on Slider kept the little robot from choking her.

Ratchet peered down at Slider. "Very unusual. I've never seen a transformer so small."

"What about Frenzy?" Cameron suggested as she lifted Slider up for the medic to have a better look.

"No he's at least two or three feet taller than her." Ratchet replied as Slider crawled all over his head and shoulders.

"Slider introduce yourself." Cameron said with a smile. With amazing agility Slider leapt from Ratchet's shoulder, flipped and landed on the ground.

"I am Slider. Created by Cameron Oakham seventy-eight hours, twenty-four minutes and eleven seconds ago." She performed a perfect bow and climbed back up to Cameron's shoulder.

"Quite a nimble little thing. Welcome to the Autobots." Ratchet said smiling.

"Oh yeah! Prime could you give her one of those little crest things?" Cameron asked.

Prime nodded as a shadow fell across Cameron.

"Thank you."

Cameron looked up to see Bumblebee staring down at her. She smiled and nodded in return and the little scout went back to Sam and Mikaela.

"It's my job." Cameron said quietly. At Prime's look she explained. "I'm the Allspark now, right? So that means part of me created your race. The least I can do is fix a broken vocalizer. Besides," She watched as Sam and Mikaela tried to get Lennox to join them in a game. "he'll probably save my life one day. I'm just paying him back in advance."

Optimus chuckled and watched as Lennox chased the two teens around the base.

* * *

**Sorry but i couldn't help myself i had to create a little robot. i was stuck for ideas and then i looked at my phone and thoought 'I wish i had a transformer.' lo and behold 'Slider' was born. **

**I you hate her let me know, i haven't decided whether or not she'll survive the story.

* * *

**


	8. Chapter 8

**I apologise for the amazing lateness of this piece. The 'idea dam' broke for a moment so I was able to put this together. the next chapter should be up relatively quick.**

**Please review it might make the 'idea dam' crumble. then something interestng might happen. **

**

* * *

Chapter 8 **

The last thing Optimus Prime had expected to see was his medical officer jumping on a table but that was the sight that greeted Prime as he returned from patrol. The reinforced steel table was groaning and bending as Ratchet's weight repeatedly pounded against it.

Prime observed the scene for several moments, a small smile lifting his face-plates. Slowly Optimus moved his gaze to the ceiling where Ratchet was aiming. A little red figure lounged on a support beam clicked out encouraging sentiments while occasionally dropping something, usually hitting Ratchet on the head. This time it was a wrench.

Optimus watched with amusement as the tool clanged against the medic's helmet, causing him to clutch at his head and curse. The Autobot leader couldn't restrain his chuckle.

Ratchet and Slider turned to him suddenly. Ratchet moved too quickly, causing him to lose his footing on the now curved table and topple off. He hit the floor with an almighty crash. The stream of curses that followed surprised Prime, he hadn't known that Ratchet had such an impressive repertoire of swear words.

Slider on the other hand scurried along the support beam and swung gracefully onto Prime's shoulder.

"What were you doing up there Slider?"

"Playing." She answered innocently.

Her expression reminded Optimus of the two brothers, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, when they got caught pranking.

As if reading his thoughts Ratchet muttered. "She's as bad as those slagging twins."

Prime chuckled again, he knew the medic had a soft spot for the playful pair even though they harassed him the most.

"Cameron wanted to see you." Ratchet said as he pulled himself up off the floor. Optimus stifled the laughter bubbling in his chest as Ratchet rubbed his aft.

Turning his attention to Slider Optimus ordered the little 'bot to retrieve Ratchet's tools from the rafters. The little machine pouted before using the still sour medic as a springboard.

Prime walked out of the room with a smile on his lips. He traced Cameron's now distinctive energy signature to her bathroom. Optimus alerted Cameron to his presence by knocking.

"I'll be out in a minute." Came a muffled response.

"Ratchet said you wanted to see me."

"Optimus!" The door opened and Cameron emerged, she had a black top slung over her shoulder and was doing up the last buttons on her tan skirt. "I thought you were out patrolling with Ironhide today."

"Will needed Ironhide's assistance." Optimus lowered his hand for Cameron to climb onto.

"All right then, down to business." Cameron pinned Optimus with a pleading stare. "I want to go home."

Prime's reply was immediate. "No."

"Can I at least see my family? I can't be 'travelling' forever."

Optimus wavered. It would be dangerous for her to see her relatives in the open, but a meeting could be arranged on the base where they could control the environment.

Cameron noticed Optimus' hesitation. "If I can't see my entire family, how about only my Dad? He already knows about you."

The soft tone of her voice and the expression on her face melted Optimus' spark.

"Only your father. It would be too dangerous for anyone else to learn of us."

Cameron squealed excitedly and clutched one of his fingers. "Thank you!"

Prime smiled at her enthusiasm. "Is that all you wanted me for?"

"Aww Prime, you make it sound like I'm using you." She pouted playfully. "But now that you mention it," her smile widened, Optimus waited warily. "I was thinking of doing some exploring."

"Exploring where?"

"The outer buildings. I've only really been in the main hanger, and most of the time I was either learning about what was happening or I was with Ratchet getting poked and prodded." _(A/N I was going to put 'poked and probed' but it sounded wrong.)_

The sparkle in her eyes put Optimus slightly on edge, when she looked like that she was usually planning something.

"I'll have Ratchet find you some supplies."

"Thank you Optimus…Have you seen where Slider got to."

"Terrorizing Ratchet."

Cameron sighed. That little robot was going to get in a lot of trouble real soon.

* * *

Cameron's eyes darted left and right as she scanned the open area infront of her target.

The plain-faced windowless building with its incredibly advanced lock had been teasing her for days. What was behind that thick door?

It was too bad she had had to wait for Slider to come out of Ratchet's lab before she could undertake her little mission. Slider had gotten her just desserts when Ironhide had found out his beloved cannons had been rewired to shoot bubbles and ping-pong balls. When Ironhide had finished attacking the little 'bot with his new arsenal he had loaded her into it and shot her into a wall. Needless to say Slider refused to go near the large Autobot and kept her distance from any gun big enough for her to fit into.

"Perimeter scan?"

Data flashed over Slider's optics. "Clear."

Cameron smiled and pulled Slider onto her shoulder. She dashed across the marching square and pressed against the side of their target and waited for the security cameras to turn away. Moving quickly again Cameron slipped around the corner and approached the steel door. The lock was another reason Cameron thought the Autobots used this structure. The security device was extremely high, only by standing on her toes and stretching her arms could she reach the mechanism. Flexing her fingers Cameron pressed them against the very bottom edge of the security panel.

Cameron connected with the bright pulse in her chest. Accessing the Allspark had become easier since her experiment with Bumblebee. It no longer felt like fire in her veins and she didn't blackout after her 'visions' anymore. The Allspark's warmth ran through Cameron's systems, energizing her, before flowing through her fingertips and into the control panel. Using the energy she shorted out the circuits.

The metal door hissed slightly as the locking mechanism eased.

Retrieving her power from the lock Cameron left Slider to stand lookout before she slipped through the gap into the dark interior.

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

**I said that I would update quickly and this would have been up yesterday except for unforseeable circumstances a.k.a. my older brother.**

**I would like to put it out there that I hate christmas shopping, especially when what you're looking for is not sold in Australia. vv ****It makes everything that much harder.**

**I also hate the hot weather that comes with christmas. I'm more of a spring and autumn girl. I hate shorts.**

**Okay ranting done...this is just a short piece. Something will happen soon, I promise. Maybe someone will die. Like Ironhide said 'It's an option."**

**Please review.**

**

* * *

Chapter 9**

Cameron waited for her eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness. It didn't happen.

Without the steel door open there was no chance of light. The door had to be shut to keep her mission a secret.

Cameron groped her way along the wall in search of a switch... nothing.

Sighing frustratedly she began to move forward, waving her hands infront of her to make sure she didn't run into anything. Cameron had taken four steps before remembering that she had a torch in her bag. Cameron slapped her forehead as the feeling of extreme stupidity sunk in.

The beam of light illuminated a wide corridor. Cameron would have wandered blindly for several minutes if she hadn't brought the flashlight with her. She trailed the circle of light along the tall walls and across the dusty floor.

The silence, darkness and overall shabbiness made Cameron feel like she was walking through a crypt.

It looked like no one had been here in years. Cameron ran a finger along the wall, it left a deep streak and her fingertip came back with a rich coating of dust and grime. Eww!

Large imprints on the floor caught Cameron's attention as she lowered the torch to rub her finger on her pants. The disturbances were about the size of the Autobots' feet.

Cameron followed the footprints down the corridor. The further Cameron got from the door where Slider stood guard the more anxious she felt. What if Prime was hiding a Decepticon here?

Keeping her breathing in check Cameron continued to move silently down the hallway. Where was she now? Using the torch she tried to find signs or markings on the walls and ceiling. Nothing.

When Cameron looked back at the floor she saw that the footprints had disappeared. Fear clutched at her for moments as the thought that she was lost slipped into her mind. Spinning around she retraced her steps until she met back up with the trail. They moved off to the side. Lifting the flashlight Cameron saw that they headed down a side corridor. She followed the footprints to another door. This one didn't have a lock at all.

Well there goes the Decepticon theory. Then what are they hiding?

Placing the flashlight on the floor, Cameron studied the door with her hands. Digging her fingers into the groove between the door and the wall she heaved. The metal slid aside with a screech.

Reacting blindly Cameron squeezed her eyes shut and patted the door quickly, soothingly as if that would make the screech stop reverberating around the empty building. As the sound faded Cameron's eyes opened and darted around the darkness. She fully expected Optimus Prime or one of the others to appear.

Minutes passed and no outraged mech emerged from the shadows, Cameron breathed out steadily. She picked up her flashlight and stepped over the threshold. The moment Cameron was fully inside the room the familiar sensation of an Allspark memory attacked her. White light flashed behind her eyes and she leaned heavily against the wall for support. With the last of her control before the memory overtook her, Cameron locked her knees so that she wouldn't fall.

* * *

_A battle, a busy city._

_Humans and Transformers covered the area._

_A large military tank fired shots at a group of humans cowering behind busted cars and other bits of burning debris. Something low and fast appeared behind the tank. Transforming in midslide, the little silver robot leapt onto the Decepticon's back and wrenched its cannon upward as it fired. The tanks' blast shot skyward, harming no one._

_A massive pulse blast struck the silver mech, knocking him to the ground and out of the fight. The humans retreated fearfully as something huge rounded the corner._

_Megatron._

_Bending over the injured Autobot, the dark metal behemoth zeroed in on the damaged robot's chest, reaching down it pierced the metal chest and ripped out a glowing sphere of energy. The small mech went instantly immobile.

* * *

_

Cameron came to, still leaning against the wall. A sharp pain made her clutch at her chest over her heart/spark. She took deeply shuddering breathes as she waited for the pain to fade. The cries of the humans and machines still sounded in her head but they were nothing compared to the silent screams of the Autobot as its spark had been brutally removed from its body. Those tortured screams lodged themselves in Cameron's heart and she remained still until the cries died.

Taking in another deep breath Cameron picked up the torch again and she roved the shaft of light over the room.

She knew what was in here now, her original feeling of a crypt wasn't wrong. The light encountered a dais of some sort. What was on top was covered in a sheet usually used for covering precious cars at night. Approaching it she pulled off the cover sheet.

Silver plating shone under the torchlight.

"Hello Jazz."

* * *

**That is how Jazz died in Alan Dean Fosters novel version of the 2007 movie. I recommend it. I would also recommend the prequel 'Ghosts of Yesterday' but its not available in Australia DX Grrrrrrrrrr!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Merry Chistmas to you, Merry Christmas to you!**

**It might be a bit early but since I'm going away in a few days I probably won't get time to update. I'll be spending fifteen long hours in the car with my little brother who has made it his mission in life to irriate me...he is succeeding DX **

**The next chap should be up fairly soon. Please enjoy...amd review :)

* * *

**

Chapter 10 

Starscream paced around their pitiful base. The once powerful Decepticon army had been reduced to hiding in a human barn. A small stream of water cascaded onto his shoulder. This is pathetic!

Barricade lounged against the far wall. He was far too at ease in Starscream's opinion. The stupid fragger probably didn't understand the seriousness of their situation. Without reinforcements they would be scraps of metal when they encountered the Autobots again.

The only way they could gain an advantage over their enemy would be to wait for reinforcements or get the Allspark piece.

Starscream had never been a patient mech. Waiting over the passed weeks while Frenzy had repaired them had been torture for the tan Decepticon.

Fragging Autoslags, especially the black one. He was a good shot.

"We have to get the Allspark." Starscream said mostly to himself as he stopped at the building entrance.

"How, oh mighty leader, do you intend to do that?" Barricade sneered from his position.

Frenzy looked down from the platform above their heads. "Prime has the Allspark…"

"Prime also has a human." Starscream grinned evilly. "If we capture the human, we can exchange it for the Allspark."

Barricade rolled his optics and Frenzy disappeared back into the hayloft. Starscream remained at the door staring into the rain.

* * *

"Cameron you've been doing this for days. If you don't take a break you'll make yourself sick."

"Yes thank you doctor robot." Cameron scowled at Slider. "Make yourself useful and keep an eye on his stats."

Slider made a rude gesture before clambering up the inert body and perching on its helmet. A small monitor sat beside its head with data on its screen.

"While we're on the topic of health, I have to remind you that you have an appointment with Ratchet."

Cameron groaned and rested her head against the metal plating.

"You've been avoiding the medic for days. Why don't you go see him?"

"I don't particularly want to know how much of my humanity has been lost."

Slider pulled her attention away from the monitor and focused on her creator. "What do'ya mean? You're the most human thing on this base."

Cameron sent her a dry look. "I eat and drink energon."

Slider looked at her blankly.

"My heart isn't a heart anymore."

Silence.

"I can run a systems check."

Slider giggled and dodged the small metal projectile Cameron through at her. "You're still the most human thing on base."

"I'm a techno-organic freak!"

"And I'm a phone, what's your point?"

Cameron growled as the little red robot grinned and went back to watching the screen. Ever since meeting the Autobots Slider had come out of her shell, and upon doing that she quickly found out what annoyed her fellow robots. And used it to her advantage.

Cameron scrubbed at her ear as she recalled the lecture Ratchet had given her about creating new life after he had found all his tools welded to the wall in a picture that resembled him.

That was two hours of her life she was never getting back.

Cameron adjusted her seat on Jazz's chest. The smooth silver metal got uncomfortable quickly, especially around the gaping hole she was perched over.

Cameron carefully dipped her hand into the wound. Her fingers played lightly over broken pipes and shattered circuits as she neared her goal. The power of the Allspark trailed from her fingertips as Cameron searched for a trace of Jazz's lost spark.

Although Cameron could easily put life into the empty body, it wouldn't be the Jazz that the Autobots mourned. So she was searching for some remnant to work with.

"Why do you think there's anything left anyway? You did say that his spark was ripped out."

Cameron answered without looking up. "It's because it was ripped out that I think something is here."

"Explain."

Cameron smiled at the authoritive tone the high-pitched femme managed. "Well, since the energy of a transformers' spark travels through their body at all times, there should be some residual energy left behind due to the abrupt and savage removal of Jazz's spark."

"And you need to check all his systems because…"

"Because the energy could be anywhere and I'm hoping it all gathered in one area."

They lapsed into a companionable silence as both worked diligently to find a trace of the lost Jazz.

Half an hour had passed before Slider let out an excited squeal. "Found something!"

"Where?"

Slider studied the monitor. "Main energon pipe; right thigh."

Cameron smiled tensely. It was time to see if her theory was right. She dug deep into Jazz's body, searching until her hand lay on the thick energon pipe that ran through his body. Cameron focused and released her energy into the lifeless frame. Like a determined hound the energy ran through the pipe.

Cameron kind of knew what she was looking for. She had experienced three other sparks; she had created Slider's spark, healed Bumblebee's and drained Starscream's. Each spark had a different 'flavor' while carrying a similar base energy. Slider's was bright and bubbly, Bumblebee's was sunny with a quiet confidence and Starscream's was dark.

There! The signal was faint but clear. Jazz's was smooth and rich. Cameron carefully surrounded the fragment protectively and pulled it towards her. She was ready to catch it when it emerged from the pipe. It was no bigger than a baby's fist yet pulsed quite strongly now that it was in her hands. Whether that was due to it being closer physically or being closer to the Allspark, she didn't know.

Cameron cupped it carefully as Slider joined her nest to the hole in Jazz's chest.

"So that's what it looks like." Slider said her voice soft in awe.

"The original was probably bigger."

"What do you mean?"

"Well Jazz was a big robot. His spark would have needed to be powerful enough to power his body. I reckon Prime's is the size of my head, if not bigger."

"That means I have a pansy-sized spark doesn't it?" Slider asked dryly.

Cameron chuckled. "Your spark is the right sized for your body and very powerful."

Slider preened and moved closer to study the spark fragment. "What will you do with it?"

Cameron sighed. "Try to expand it. I'm going to use the aspects of his personality within the piece to manufacture more, hopefully completing it."

"Will he have his memories?"

"He will if I do it right. If I don't he'll be suffering a major case of amnesia." Cameron looked at her creation. "I'm gonna need your help."

Slider nodded. "Let's get crackin'"

* * *

"The casing is fixed." Slider announced as she crawled out of Jazz's hastily repaired chest.

Cameron opened her glowing blue eyes. "I'm almost done. He's being stubborn…You know what?"

"What?"

"When I'm finished with this I probably won't have any organic organs left."

Slider snickered. "As long as you're still a squishy on the outside."

Cameron's answering laugh ended on a sharp intake of breath. "I'm done."

Very carefully Slider helped Cameron climb onto the silver chest. Lying down, Cameron rested her head above the spark chamber.

"Make sure we both get outside as soon as possible after we wake up, and if there is any problem take us straight to Ratchet."

"I promise."

Cameron closed her eyes and readied the spark for transfer.

* * *

Slider sat at the computer playing Age of Empires while Cameron installed Jazz's spark. A message icon flashed in the middle of the screen.

That can't be good.

She quickly exited the game and brought up the other program. Data and squiggly lines moved across the monitor.

The spark was in place. Slider vented a sigh.

After a few moments of staring at the information Slider noticed something not quite right.

"Oh shite."

* * *

**Can anyone guess what's happened? cookies if you get it right.**


	11. Chapter 11

**I know in the summary it said no pairing but I've changed that now. I couldn't help myself, I saw this picture on Deviantart...well you'll see if you check it out. It's called 'slash JXB smack' by tohjosakana. It'll be only a minor pairing but I thought it fit in nicely.**

**Well, I'm off to New South Wales in the morning XD**

**

* * *

Chapter 11**

_Pain__…_

_Darkness__…_

_Warmth__…_

_Calm__…_

A soft voice called to Jazz through the dark. It eased the pain in his body from the battle and relieved the pain in his spark from the war.

Jazz tried to shake off the haze in his neural circuits but it clung like stupid to Starscream. A groan left his throat as he flailed in the darkness. A cool hand touched his arm, wearily activating his optics Jazz looked at his companion. It was little and red with blue optics. Relief flooded through him, blue optics meant Autobot.

Memories of his last confrontation chose that moment to surface. Fear and hatred filled Jazz as he recalled the sight of Bumblebee's legs flying past him as Starscream attacked. The added danger or Devastator had forced Jazz to leave his injured comrade. Then he remembered only Megatron and severe pain.

Jazz quickly ran a systems check. Everything seemed normal except for some external damage. That would explain the throbbing in his limbs.

"Where am I?" His voice sounded strange.

"Autobot Headquarters."

"Who are you?"

"Slider. I'm new."

Jazz nodded before asking. "Where's Megatron?"

"Destroyed, over a year ago."

A year! That must be why I sound so odd, I haven't used my vocal processor in over a human year. He noticed then that he couldn't see anything besides the glowing optics infront of him. Jazz tried to activate in infra-red sensors but nothing changed.

Slider must have seen his distress. "What's wrong?"

"My infra-red won't activate."

"You still need a lot of repairs. Come on let's get you to Ratchet." Slider said.

Jazz nodded and stood carefully, his body felt weird. Well the little thing did say I was in the middle of repairs. Jazz followed the red 'bot through the dark hallways. He stumbled a few times but he put that down to the bad shape he was in. The little thing infront of him had lights all over its body, making it look like a multi-colored disco ball.

When they reached the daylight Jazz was surprised that he had to shut deactivate his optics to combat the sudden difference in light. Usually his visor would absorb the glare, making it unnecessary to wait. Confusion spread through him as something tickled his nose. Reaching up he touched it.

Hair? Only humans and animals had hair.

He tugged on the lock of sable hair and felt it on his scalp. Jazz's fingers followed the strands up to the top of his head. Expecting to feel the smooth metal of his helmet, he was shocked to find his hand running through more hair. Jazz's optics flashed as he lowered his hands and stared at them; slender with long nails and pale skin.

Fearfully he ran them over his face. Optics, no, eyes, a squishy nose, soft lips.

I have human hands, I have a human face.

He stared ahead as he ran his hands over his body, only to discover something far more frightening. Looking down he confirmed his fears.

I have breasts! I'm a female!

"What the frag is going on?" He demanded.

The red Autobot had been watching him warily and now replied in a similar attitude. "There appears to have been a complication in the revival process."

"I'm a human femme. This is more than a complication."

Slider nodded. "I was told to take you directly to Ratchet if anything went wrong. I'll explain everything as we walk."

Jazz eyed the little creature with a mixture of anger and shock. "A'ight." He watched as its vents released a sigh and it started trotting towards a building.

* * *

The first thing Cameron noticed upon waking up was a warning message flashing infront of her eyes. 

WARNING! OVERALL DAMAGE: FORTY-EIGHT PERCENT

The message changed.

ACTIVATE STASIS LOCK AND BEGIN REPAIRS? Y/N

Stasis lock? Isn't that like a controlled coma? Cameron quickly chose the negative option.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE REQUIRED

What was going on? Where's Slider, she'll know.

Sitting up slowly, Cameron shook her head as the message disappeared. Cameron attempted to run her fingers through her hair but instead connected with metal and horns.

What the hell? I don't have horns. Cameron brought her hand infront of her eyes. There in the light of her optics was a metal hand.

"Oh shite."

This could only mean one thing; the experiment had stuffed up and she was now in Jazz's body, which meant he was in hers.

Cameron stood carefully, never one to deny an opportunity she stretched. It was time to see what Jazz could do.

* * *

Optimus Prime was quietly talking to Ratchet, Bumblebee and Ironhide when Slider led a stiff Cameron into the hangar. Actually it would be more accurate to say Cameron was stomping. Prime and the other Autobots looked up curiously to watch Cameron stamp slowly into the hall. 

"Cameron?" He called.

The young human looked up, her face showing extreme relief. "Optimus!"

She took two quick steps before stumbling severely. Prime watched as Slider grabbed her hand just as she saved herself by standing like a surfer.

The four mechs exchanged looks and the human suddenly exploded.

"How the slag does she walk in these things!?" Cameron then proceeded to try and kick the dark wedges off her feet. Slider grabbed her by the elbows.

"If you stop moving I'll help you take them off…Stop! You'll damage her body!"

The struggling pair eventually got the shoes off Cameron's feet, much to the amusement of the Autobots.

"Cameron, are you alright?" Prime asked as they got closer, he noticed that she was still walking stiffly.

"Ratchet we have a problem." Slider answered.

"Why does that not surprise me? What happened?" The medic asked as an exotic sports car skidded into the hangar.

All optics widened as the Pontiac Solstice transformed. A smiled graced the silver mech's face. "That is so awesome." Cameron said dazedly.

"Jazz!" The excited cry came from Bumblebee moments before Cameron found herself engulfed in a tight hug. The yellow mech's head was buried in her neck while his arms wrapped around her waist.

Cameron was feeling all warm and fuzzy at the show of affection, then she felt Bee's hands begin to slide over her back and his lips press gently along her neck.

Realizing what was happening, Cameron pressed her hands against Bumblebee's chest and pushed back. "Wow Bee stop! I'm not that kinda girl." Bumblebee looked confused but he didn't remove his arms from her waist. "You're cute and all but I like humans." She smiled apologetically before turning to face the others.

"Jazz what's going on?" Prime asked. He was looked surprised when Cameron's body addressed him.

"You're askin' me? I don't even know why I'm alive let alone why I'm human. For Primus sake!" He clutched at his chest. "I'm female!"

"Hey, careful with those!" She raised her hand to stop him but found she couldn't move since Bee was still holding her.

Ratchet remained calm at the back of the group; he had correctly guessed the situation when 'Jazz' had pushed Bumblebee away. Jazz never denied Bumblebee. He silently pulled a recording device from his sub-space pocket. No doubt he would get very angry later as he tried to fix whatever Cameron had done, but right now the opportunity to gain more black-mail material was too good to pass up.

Optimus' brow lifted as 'Jazz' removed Bumblebee's hands from his waist and approached them with a decidedly feminine sway. Both Ironhide's and Bumblebee's heads tilted to the side to better watch the alluring roll to Jazz's hips. Ironhide watched because he had never seen the saboteur do that before, Bumblebee watched because he was trying to figure out what was happening and seeing Jazz move like that was sexy.

"Is this how you feel all the time? It's amazing." Cameron asked as she stood before them.

"Cameron?" Prime stared at Jazz's body as it nodded. "What happened?"

She hesitated before answering. "Let me put it this way – the good news is Jazz's alive, bad news is he's in my body." She bent down and picked up her human body. "Sorry Jazz. It wasn't meant to happen like this."

Jazz looked into his own visor. "I'll be fine as long as it can be fixed."

Ratchet put away the recorder with a sigh. "Come on, let's see what I can do."

* * *

**What did ya think? Please let me know.**

**I promise a plot will emerge.**

**I won't be back until New Years so Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.**


	12. Chapter 12

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!**

**Well, I'm back from hols and it's freaking hot! It hit 40 C today. To hot to do anything but sit and write so there will be another chapter posted within the next few days. **

**I apologize if anything seems wrong, i am majorly tired from last night.**

**Hugs to my reviewers, especially BreezesofSpring. Thank you!!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.**

_flashback_

**

* * *

Chapter 12**

"Would you please stop eating everything you see?"

Cameron watched unhappily as Jazz stuffed another cinnamon scroll into her mouth.

"Why? Human food tastes good." He grinned up at her.

Mentally beating her head against a wall Cameron turned and retreated back to Ratchet's lab.

Together they had figured out how Jazz's spark had remained in her body while hers had been transported into his. It was surprisingly simple; Jazz's reconstructed spark had still contained enough of Cameron's energy to anchor itself in place and while Cameron's spark was trying to move that large amount of energy, the energy traces had gotten mixed up – pulling Cameron into Jazz's body.

Or in Cameron's words, Jazz was just slagging stubborn. She was currently laying all the blame at his feet, resulting in numerous debates.

It actually surprised Cameron that she and Jazz were becoming fast friends. Apparently there was no resentment on Jazz's side about her stuffing up the procedure, although that could have something to do with her bringing him back from the dead. She wasn't complaining and neither was anyone else. Except for a little while when Jazz and Bumblebee realized that their reunion would be put off until the accident was fixed.

* * *

As Cameron entered the medi-bay, Ratchet looked up and sighed before beating his head against the desk. A loud metal-on-metal clang filled the room. 

"I'm guessing that means you don't know how to fix this."

His head hit the table one more time before he sat back up. "You would be right. You made a complete mess."

Cameron approached the desk and leaned against its side. "There must be a way to exchange our sparks without killing us."

Ratchet's optics flashed with sudden insight as he looked up at her. "I might have an answer."

"What?"

"I'm going to kill you."

Cameron stared. "Excuse me?"

"I'm going to kill you, well your body anyway."

"How is that going to solve any problems? Except for your frustration."

Ratchet just grinned.

* * *

"This may hurt." 

Jazz looked at the medic warily. "Why do I have to die? Again."

"Because Cameron needs to be alive and technically you're not going to be dead."

Cameron smiled grimly as Ratchet prepared his instruments. It had taken a lot of time and energy convincing Optimus before he had agreed to the plan.

Prime now stood in a corner watching the activity. Slider was perched on his shoulder, the little femme watched with scared optics. She didn't like the idea but had faith in both her creator and Ratchet. Bumblebee had openly opposed the procedure, it was risky and there was a significant chance that it would go horribly wrong. Bumblebee now stood at the door, anxiety evident in his optics. Ironhide didn't want to watch his friend die again so he chose to remain outside guarding the base from attack.

Cameron shifted on her feet, over the last week she had gotten fairly confident with operating Jazz's body; every now and then just for the fun of it she would transform and race around the base, sometime Jazz would join her.

Cameron was brought back by a whimper. Looking over her shoulder she saw a wide-eyed Bumblebee being lightly restrained by Optimus Prime. Cameron went to stand infront of him, placing her hands on his shoulders she stared into his optics. She knew that he was looking at the face of his love and she used that. She let Jazz's voice flow into his audio receptors while she reassured him with her touch.

"Bumblebee, you should wait outside. I'll come find you when we're done." Cameron knew that he heard only Jazz's voice and felt only Jazz's touch; she also saw that it calmed him. Bumblebee nodded and allowed Optimus to lead him out.

Ratchet eyed his pair of patients. They both trusted him with their lives, usually that knowledge wouldn't affect him greatly but he was faced with the possible deaths of both Jazz and the Allspark if his theory was wrong. Ratchet's mind went back over the conversation he and Cameron had had days earlier.

_"Why does it have to be Jazz? I mean he just came back." Cameron paced along the workbench._

_"Because only you have the power to restore life."_

_"What if I can't do it again?"_

_"Then you have to cat__ch his spark before it goes out, which would be preferable.__"_

_Cameron nodded. "Okay. Explain it again?"_

_Ratchet smothered a sigh. "We are going to 'kill' your body."_

_"I got that but why do I have to die?"_

_"_You_ are not going to die. Your body, which currently houses Jazz's spark, will be killed."_

_She looked up at him with desperate eyes. "Isn't there any other way?"_

_Ratchet curled his hand around her and rubbed a finger over her shoulders. "There is no 'clean' way to remove a spark from a body. The only __known method is to force it out, __which tears it to pieces. If we were to do that we would risk there being not enough energy left to put it back together."_

_"If you don't know any other way, then how are we going to stop it from ripping apart?"_

_"I think that if the body isn't destroyed in a violent rush the spark will ready itself to leave the body once all life has left it."_

_Cameron was silent for a moment. "Then we will be killing Jazz slowly?"_

_Ratchet nodded grimly. "Yes."_

Shaking himself out of the sombre memory Ratchet readied the tools he had prepared for the procedure.

"Jazz? Do you want to be asleep?"

"Will it change anythin'?"

"It won't hurt as much?" Cameron replied.

Jazz merely frowned. Faced with his own possible demise he was very reluctant to just give up. If something went wrong and he wasn't aware he could easily be lost forever.

But he had trusted Ratchet with his life before and Cameron had brought him back from Oblivion when she didn't even know what sort of mech he was.

He trusted them. "Sure."

Laying back on the table Jazz prepared himself to meet him maker…again.

"Ready?"

"Ready." Jazz and Cameron replied together.

* * *

Hours later Ratchet cut a slit in the human chest and watched as Cameron withdrew a shining pulsing orb of light. She held it against her chest and opened her chest armor. The orb disappeared inside and Jazz's body stiffened before collapsing next to Cameron's body. 

Ratchet rushed to the human body, without a commanding network the body would fail and die. Keeping a set of sensors on the silver body he began to work on Cameron's body.

It was just able to survive without help when a sound ripped from Jazz's throat. Spinning around Ratchet watched in wonder as a white light arched from Jazz's to Cameron's chest. Both glowed for an instant before returning to their appropriate colors.

Ratchet prayed to Primus that the sparks had found their right bodies. He stepped away and waited for his patients to wake up.

* * *

**What's gonna happen? Will Cameron and Jazz be stuck in each others bodies forever?**

**Review and find out.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey Guys,**

**I'm going to start wrapping this up soon, there's still a bit to go but i really want to start working on this other thing thats whacking my head against Optimus' leg armor. (It's a mean bitch.)**

**Guess who reappears - Sam and Mikaela (they haven't been around since chapter 7) and Cameron's Dad! Yes Dad makes an appearence. So stay tuned.**

**If you enjoy it please review.**

_thoughts_

_#comm link#_**

* * *

Chapter 13**

"If ya keep groaning like that they'll think it didn't work." Jazz ran a hand over his silver paint.

"I can't help it, I feel like crap. What did you do to me?" Cameron doubled over and moaned again. She could feel something bubbling in her stomach. Clapping a hand over her mouth Cameron resisted the urge to throw up.

"Ratchet." She groaned pitifully. "He's killed me."

The medic watched from his desk. "He hasn't killed you. Your body just needs to heal itself, your body went through major surgery. You'll feel better when your energy returns. And as for you," he scowled at the silver mech inching for the door. "You're not going anywhere until I'm satisfied with your recovery."

"Aww come on Ratch, just five minutes?"

"No. You'll leave when I say can leave. Now sit down before I strap you down."

Jazz heaved a long-suffering sigh before dropping onto a berth.

* * *

The med-bay doors opened and Cameron proceeded to the main hall. Jazz had been kept behind by Ratchet for tests, Cameron had escaped with only a warning about attending appointments. Apparently more of her organic systems had been altered due to her interaction with the Allspark. Ratchet had said something about her lungs and brain, although he had assured her that there shouldn't be any difference in the way she functioned. 

Cameron groaned as sore muscles stretched. What had Jazz been doing with her body? The Allspark might not effect her functioning but Jazz sure had.

The Autobots looked up as she entered. Walking slowly she made her way towards them.

"Sup?" Cameron said as she sank onto the tabletop. Bumblebee's face fell, Cameron realized that she must have sounded like Jazz. Poor Bumblebee must think then procedure didn't work. Before she was able to correct the misassumption a silver streak came through the doors. Optimus Prime and Ironhide looked startled at the obvious excitement of the silver body.

They all think we're still in each other's bodies. Cameron opened her mouth to say something but was stopped by the look on Jazz's face.

Jazz stood next to Bumblebee's chair. With an almost predatory smile he grabbed Bumblebee's chin and kissed him. With optics still online Jazz saw shock cover his lover's face before happiness. Once Bumblebee realized that it was truly Jazz he responded eagerly, practically pulling Jazz onto his lap in an effort to get closer.

Cameron watched stunned, it was a first for her to see two giant robots making out. A smile curved her lips as she felt the happiness radiating off the pair.

A flash of color was Cameron's only warning before she was hit by Slider. The little red 'bot crawled over her back and sniggled into her neck.

"You're squishy again." Slider chirped.

Cameron laughed, no doubt Slider had been waiting for Cameron become herself again just so that she could participate in a series of prank designed to frustrate the other mechs.

Cameron couldn't wait until there were more transformers for Slider to annoy. Something in the back of her head went click and an idea bloomed in her brain.

Prime's optics glowed warmly as he transferred his gaze from his soldiers to Cameron. The Allspark. As if sensing his gaze the human turned to him. A new light shone in her eyes, Prime didn't know whether that scared him or not. She was Slider's creator and no doubt had a similar mischievous streak.

"Optimus can I speak with you?" She was running her fingers through her hair.

"Of course Cameron."

He lowered his hand for Cameron to climb up. She waited until they were near the outside doors before speaking.

"I think I can help you Optimus."

"You have helped us a great deal already."

"But I can do more," she put all the excitement and hope she felt into her voice. "I want to go to Cybertron."

"Why? It is a broken husk of its former self." Sadness clouded Prime's optics as he thought of his beloved planet.

"I want to heal it. I want to bring life back to it. I mean what's the point in being the Allspark if I can't repair the damage done to my own creation."

A new hope bloomed in Optimus' spark. "Cameron, gratitude is too pale too describe what's in my spark."

"I only want to help and I can. I can bring back the dead, if there's anything left, and I can create new life."

Optimus smiled at her enthusiasm. " I wanted to thank you for bringing Jazz back to us, but a mere thank you doesn't seem enough." Cameron smiled. "I also wanted to talk to you about your father."

Cameron's smile died. "Has something happened?"

"His visit had been arranged for Friday."

Optimus had been prepared, but the high-pitched squeal that followed almost broke his audio sensors. Wincing slightly he waited for Cameron to control her excitement.

The sound suddenly stopped. "Wait, you said 'had been' as in past tense. He's not coming anymore?" Her expression was one of absolute dejection.

Unable to stand the sadness in her face Prime rubbed a finger up and down Cameron's back to comfort her. "I postponed the meeting due to recent events. I don't think your father would have appreciated seeing you as a fifteen foot mechaniod."

Cameron sighed and relaxed on his palm. "Does that mean he can still come?"

"Certainly. He will arrive in three days."

* * *

It was the shortest three days of Cameron's life. There was always something to be done, something that needed to be cleaned or put away. Having the Autobots track dirt through the base didn't improve Cameron's mood at all. By midday Thursday all the transformers were lounging in the summer sun. Optimus Prime and Ratchet were the only ones allowed inside and only if they were clean. Optimus because it was his base and Ratchet because Cameron owed him for fixing her up. Bumblebee had brought Sam and Mikaela to help, plus with his charges close by he could cuddle up to Jazz without worrying about them. 

Sam and Mikaela didn't complain as they helped Cameron mop and sweep the large hangar as well as clean the industrial kitchen. By the end of the day both human teens were ready to admit that fighting the Decepticons was less strenuous than working with Cameron.

The sun was sinking when Bumblebee took Sam and Mikaela home; Ironhide had disappeared earlier back to his wards. Optimus, Ratchet and Jazz entered the newly cleaned hanger tentatively; the area was clean and shiny – well as shiny as a cement floor can be. Careful not to leave any marks behind the trio separated and settled in to recharge, tomorrow would be an experience.

* * *

Cameron was chugging down a human sized cube of energon when Ironhide's deep roar invaded her peace. She had slept fitfully the night before and didn't want to try and erase tire marks so soon after her bath. She switched on the coffee maker; energon just wouldn't cut it this morning, and went to greet the truck. 

"Morning 'Hide. Will!" Cameron raced over and hugged the older man as he climbed out of the cab. "What are you doing here?"

"I brought a little company." He replied smiling. Moving back a step he motioned for Cameron to turn.

Cameron spun, her father stood next to Ironhide's hood smiling. "Daddy!" Cameron launched herself into her father's arms.

He held her close. "Hi sweetheart. Are you okay?"

"Perfect."

"Will said that you were different but I can't see any changes, except for your hair maybe."

"I'm absolutely fine. Nothing's changed." _Except for all my internal organs_.

"I can't believe it's been five weeks since I've seen you."

_Five weeks!_ Had it really been that long?

"Five weeks, really?" Cameron asked in shock.

Her father chuckled. "Don't tell me you didn't realize. Your mother was worried sick when you first disappeared."

Cameron smiled sheepishly. She hadn't noticed the days flying past. Five weeks! "Sorry Dad, it's been really…busy." _Yeah__ really__ busy; body swaps, visions, morphing anatomy we do it all at Autobot headquarters._

Cameron led her father and Will Lennox over to her hardly used dinning table. She sat opposite her father while Will said something about coffee and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Wow, this is nice." Her father ran his fingers over the shining wood.

"Yeah, I haven't been using it often so it still looks pretty good."

Jonathan Oakham crossed leaned his elbow on the table. "So, what do you do here?"

_Create life, heal mechanical creatures, __bring__ robots back from the dead_. "Not much, I just hang around really, learning all I can. Sometimes I help out."

Will returned with three mugs of hot coffee and a carton of milk on a tray.

Jonathan frowned in confusion. "You don't do much but it's been really busy?"

"Um…Yeah." Cameron replied slowly.

"What aren't you telling me?"

Cameron swallowed. "Nothing." _I'm the only salvation to a species of giant robots_.

The coffee mugs started to shake as a dull thumping could be heard nearby. It got louder and louder until Ratchet burst into the room.

"For Primus sake Cameron! Stop broadcasting!"

Cameron jumped out of her chair and faced the medic. "I'm doing what now?"

"Oh my God!" Jonathan had also leapt from his chair but was now backing away from the slowly approaching giant. Will remained at the table drinking his coffee.

"Cameron, Cameron come here honey." Jonathan sidled around the table, holding his hand out to his daughter.

Cameron ignored her father and addressed Ratchet. "What am I doing?"

"Broadcasting and by the sounds of it you haven't told your parent anything."

"Oh yeah, Dad." She grabbed her father's hand. "This is Ratchet."

The CMO focused on Jonathan. "Pleased to meet you. I apologize for the abrupt nature of our meeting." He looked back at Cameron. "Prime is in my medical lab waiting for the right moment to come out to avoid frightening your parental unit. I cannot work in peace when I have to listen to Optimus and Jazz's gossiping, Ironhide's groaning and your broadcasting."

"Prime gossips?" Cameron asked amused.

Ratchet moaned. "Please just get Prime out of my med-bay."

_Optimus? Can you hear me?_

_#Yes Cameron.#_

Cool. _You're going to make Ratchet blow a gasket if you don't leave him alone, come and meet my Dad._

"I will not 'blow a gasket'" Ratchet growled. They heard Optimus and Jazz walking. "I never thought I'd see the day when the leader of the Autobots is taking orders from a human youngling."

"Is that all I am?" Cameron said dangerously. "I'm going to have fun remaking you. What do you think of toaster-ovens?"

Ratchet shot her a look before exiting the hanger. Turning back to her father, Cameron saw that he was no longer beside her but standing by Ironhide's door trying to get it open.

"Dad?" He looked up, eyes wide. "You do realize that the truck's one of them right?"

Her father whipped his hands away from the door and walked slowly back to her. "I wasn't expecting any of this."

"They told you about the Autobots, didn't they?"

"The Secretary of Defense said something about robots. Just not giant ones." He eyed the door Ratchet had just left through.

_Figures_. "Don't worry Dad, they won't hurt you. They haven't hurt me, and I've given them a reason to."

That stopped him. "What?"

"I made something and she likes to play around."

"Made something? She?" He looked at the doors once again.

"Oh don't worry, she won't be coming through there." He seemed to relax. "She's already here." He tensed again. "Slider I know you can hear me, behave."

A soft clicking sprang from near their feet.

"Watch your language! Who taught you those words?" Cameron demanded as Slider cursed in Cybertronian. With a wicked gleam in her optics Slider leapt onto the table and pointed at Ironhide, the Topkick growled.

"I'll deal with you later."

Jonathan edged away from the little red thing and eased into a chair next to Will, who was still drink his coffee calmly. "What just happened?"

Will looked up and explained. "The one you met was Ratchet he's their CMO. The little red one is Slider, she's only been alive for two or so weeks I think. She's cute but a prankster. Ironhide's been teaching her swear words."

Jonathan nodded. "All right, what about your truck? Is he like the yellow one?"

Will smiled. "That's Ironhide. Yes he does change into a robot. He likes his cannons."

"Okay, who's 'Prime'?"

"I am." Jonathan turned in his chair to see a robot of massive proportions. "My name is Optimus Prime."

"Dad, are you okay? You look pale." Cameron appeared at his elbow.

Jonathan nodded. "Yeah, it's just a lot to take in."

"I know. I'd like you to meet my friend Jazz as well."

A short silver robot moved forward. "What's crackin'."

"Perhaps we should talk." Prime suggested. Cameron nodded and jumped into his lowered hand. Will did the same with a newly transformed Ironhide. Jazz approached Jonathan.

"Wanna lift?"

Cameron's father eyed the hand for a moment. "Sure." He eased onto the silver palm and soon found himself deposited on another surface, this one ten feet in the air.

The Autobots settled themselves on chairs around the trio of humans.

Gathering his courage and taking confidence in the way Lennox and Cameron were relaxed with their mechanical friends, Jonathan made his position clear. "Mr. Prime, let me get one thing straight, I want my daughter back."

"That can be arranged."

"It can?" Cameron gasped.

Optimus smiled at her. "Of course."

* * *

**Alright What did ya think let me know...please?**

**Oh and the Decepticons become a little more active quite soon.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello! How is everyone enjoying January? It's really hot in Victoria atm, so**** the dog is in his wading pool trying to stay cool while i eat an ice-cream life's good.**

**I'd like to make a few notes befoe you read please.**

**Cameron's family: Mother - Alana, Father - Jonathan, Brother - Mitch.**

**Yes, I know that there are 'female' transformers but just for now please pretend there aren't, it's easier that way.**

**That's all i can think of right now so, e****njoy!**

**

* * *

Chapter 14**

Optimus' promise to send her home didn't happen straight away. Cameron was still at the base a week after her father's visit.

"Prime! When am I going home?"

"As soon as everything is arranged." He replied.

"What needs to be arranged?" She asked curiously.

Optimus merely smiled behind his mask.

* * *

Two days later the confirmation papers had come through and Cameron 'drove' home in shiny silver Pontiac Solstice. Prime had arranged for Jazz to be her guardian.

Cameron gazed at her house, she had never really noticed how pretty it was. The flowerbeds burst with color and contrasted nicely with the pale brick of the house.

Cameron had just climbed out of Jazz when the front door opened and her mother rushed out, followed closely by her father and brother.

"Cameron you're home!" She was enveloped in a hug that would have broken her bones if they weren't made of metal. "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too Mum."

"Don't you ever go off like that again." Alana scolded lightly.

"Hey Cam. Sweet car, where'd'ya get it?" Mitch stood admiring Jazz.

"Oh, I found him hidden away. He was pretty beat up when I first saw him, but all he needed was a little spark."

"It's a him?" Alana asked.

"Yeah, every car should have an identity."

Her mother looked at her strangely but Mitch obviously understood her. "Have you given it a name yet?"

Cameron nodded. "Jazz."

Standing nearby Jonathan's face paled. Cameron smirked, her father would just have to get used to having Jazz around. She hadn't yet told him that the Camaro next door was an alien too; it would likely cause a heart attack.

"That's a dorky name." Mitch complained. "It should be something cool like…Ryu or Blanka." The kid had found her old _Street Fighter_ game.

"Ah, but he has a kick-ass sound system." Cameron smiled and leaned into the car. Jazz, aware of the conversation, switched on his radio and belted out a rock ballad. Mitch's eyes shined approvingly. Having successfully defended his name, Jazz reduced the volume to a background level.

A low grumble sounded as a car pulled in next door. Moments later Sam and Mikaela appeared.

"Cam, you're back!" Mikaela made a show of hugging Cameron tightly.

Sam sauntered over; his eyes betrayed his ignorant expression. "Nice car." Bumblebee rumbled appreciatively next door. Sam looked over his shoulder and excused himself. Mikaela grinned and hugged her again before disappearing as well.

With a parting stroke across Jazz's hood Cameron was ushered inside.

* * *

Cameron dropped angrily into the drivers-side seat the next evening, Jazz pulled out of the driveway. Cameron sat broodingly with her arms crossed as Jazz headed out of the town.

"Ya gonna tell me what's wrong?"

"What makes you think anything's wrong?"

"Your arms are folded, you're scowling and you're muttering to yourself."

Cameron sighed. "Mum wants me to get a job."

"Heh, I thought it was somethin' important."

"It is important. I don't want a job, but she said that if I'm not going to college I should start working."

"You're not going to college?"

"Well since I don't know how much longer we'll be here I didn't want to make a commitment like that."

"What d'ya mean, 'don't know how much longer we'll be here'?"

Cameron grinned suddenly. "Optimus is trying to get the government to help us return to Cybertron."

"We might be goin' home?" Jazz's voice contain restrained excitement.

"Yep. As soon as possible. Though the relationship between the Autobots and the government doesn't seem too solid, so it might take a while.

"You mean years?"

"I'm hoping for months, but years is a possibility." Cameron replied.

"All the more reason to make your mother happy and get a job, you could even go to college."

Cameron sent the steering wheel a dirty look before settling herself more comfortably into the seat. "Well then guess who'll be taking me to said job and waiting for hours until it's over? That's right, you!"

The sound that came from the engine could only be classified as a groan.

* * *

Much to her annoyance Cameron found out that her mother had already found her a job. She was to be an office assistant at a local car dealership.

_At least Jazz won't look out of place_.

Dressed in a knee-length black skirt and a pale blue shirt, Cameron reluctantly faced her first day of work.

Seven hours later she stumbled over to Jazz. Her feet hurt because of the stupid heels she wore, her hair felt frizzy from being in the air-conditioning and she found out that her boss smelled like pickled herring when he sweats, and he was one of those people who sweats even if it's snowing outside.

"Have a good day?" Jazz asked as they drove off.

"I would prefer to spend a week alone with Starscream than do that again."

"Wow, I don't know anyone who wants to spend even an hour with 'Screamer. It must have been bad." He quietly thanked Primus and Ratchet for disabling Cameron's broadcasting ability. There was no telling what she would have been thinking throughout the day.

Cameron then proceeded to tell him in detail about her job. The five minute ride between work and home was enough to make Jazz vow never to do a human days work…ever.

* * *

"Report."

"The Autobots have released the human. It resides with its family unit. The Witwicky boy lives in close proximity as does the Autobot Bumblebee."

Starscream scowled. "When isn't the fleshling protected?"

"She travels to a 'car-yard' everyday."

"Excellent. Take her when she is alone."

* * *

Cameron and Jazz stuck to a routine of traveling to work and home again for three weeks. Everything remained quiet and the Autobots began to relax. Jazz and Bumblebee especially, every couple of days either Cameron or Sam would be asked to move their car out of the others driveway.

Cameron exited her house with a breakfast bar in one hand and car keys in the other. The keys were merely a prop but they were effective. It didn't occur to Cameron that something was wrong until she stood infront of Jazz's empty space.

_He's over at Sam's again_. With a sigh Cameron turned, in time to see Sam walk up the drive.

"Morning Cam. Have you seen Bee?"

"No. Have you seen Jazz?"

Sam shook his head.

_Curious_. "Hold on a moment." She said as she pulled her red slide phone from her bag. "Slider, Jazz please." There was a pause before the signal got through.

"Jazz?"

_#Sup Cam?#_

"I need to get to work and Sam is looking for Bumblebee." She could practically hear the couple groaning. "Wait up." She looked at Sam. "Do you need him desperately today?"

"Uh, no. I guess not. What's he doing?"

_Jazz_. "He's with Jazz." She put the phone back to her ear. "Okay boys you've got today to yourselves. But if you want to do this again, please make it a weekend."

The pair sent back their thanks and hung up. Sam walked with Cameron down the driveway.

"They spend a lot of time together." He said casually.

Cameron looked at him. Surely Sam knew that Jazz and Bee were more than friends.

"They must be good friends." Apparently not.

Cam stooped walking. How could she explain this without freaking him out? "Sam, Bumblebee and Jazz are close. _Really _close."

Sam looked at her blankly.

"Think of it this way. You are Bumblebee and Jazz is Mikaela."

Understanding spread across the teenagers face. After a moment it was replaced by a mixture of confusion and shock. "My car is gay?"

Cameron smiled and tried to explain. "Transformers don't have genders like we do. They have different forms but no defined genders. Bumblebee could change his armor to look more feminine if he wanted to."

Sam seemed to understand. "Then how do they have kids if there aren't any females?"

"Ask Bumblebee, he might be able to explain it better, plus I'm going to be late for work."

With that Cameron left Sam behind and began the walk to work. It would take her twenty-minutes at a brisk pace and by then she would already be late.

The workday went like normal; the coffee was low quality, the photocopier broke just when she needed it and her boss still smelled like prickled herring.

It was when Cameron was walking home that she felt something wrong. A dull pain appeared on the left side of her neck, lifting a hand to massage it she felt her fingers tingle. Pulling them away she saw a black mark spread across the palm of her hand.

Decepticon.

Looking around casually she saw only a man walking his dog.

Cameron walked calmly even as she became aware of the energy radiating from the man and his dog. He stopped ahead of her and the dog started sniffing. Walking faster Cameron worked to decipher their energy patterns. Soon they were walking next side by side.

"Hello Barricade."

The man looked at her sharply. "How did you know?"

Cameron laughed. "I could I miss it? And you too Frenzy, although you would make a better Shih-Tzu than German Shepard."

The dog growled and barked.

"What do you want 'Cade?"

"You are to come with us."

"And you don't think my guardians would object to that?" _Too bad Jazz is with Bumblebee_ _and doesn't know what's happening_.

The hologram scowled. "Time is short. Get in the car." A police cruiser appeared at the next corner.

"I wander what the Autobots would think if they knew you were trying to pick me up. I do give you credit for not using any cliché lines though."

Barricade's look got darker. "Get in." He ordered.

"No."

Frenzy apparently had had enough. The holodog barked aggressively and Cameron instinctively moved away. This continued all the way down the street until they were close enough to the cruiser for the holoform to grab Cameron and shove her in the backseat where Frenzy was waiting.

Cameron bounced on the cushioned seat before a pain at the back of her head caused her to blackout.

* * *

Jazz and Bumblebee cruised into the quiet street, simply enjoying each other's presence. A still playful Bumblebee occasionally bumped into his silver lover. A steady stream of affection and love crossed the bond between their sparks.

Bumblebee knew he owed Cameron a lot. He owed her for fixing his voice capacitor, for bringing Jazz back to life, and in a way giving him back his own life.

The street, like always, was calm and undisturbed. Its atmosphere was ideal for the life he now led. Jazz still needed to adjust to living in such a quiet neighborhood, as a musically inspired mech he didn't like toning it down.

As they pulled into their respective driveways Bumblebee knew straight away that something was wrong.

_#Jazz, something's not right.#_

_#I'm getting' that too. Any idea what it is?#_

_#No…Wait where's Cameron?#_

_#...She hasn't gotten home from work yet.#_ He sounded troubled.

_#What time does she finish?#_

_#Five-thirty.#_

_#It's seven now.#_ Bumblebee could feel the sudden tension and worry through their bond. Suddenly Jazz's engine roared to life and he pulled out of the driveway.

_#Jazz!#_ Bee was almost on the road when he felt Jazz's silent plea. Returning to his regular parking spot Bumblebee waited.

* * *

**So what do you think? Review and let me know please.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay nearing the end now, just a few more chapters to go and it's over...I think**

**Please review.

* * *

**

Chapter 15 

Cameron's head lolled on her neck across the ground. A dull pain throbbed near the back of her neck and the light on the other side of her closed eyelids was excruciatingly bright. Slowly her brain registered other points of pain around her body; wrists, back, right knee. Pulling her hands apart Cameron found that the pain in her wrists was caused by tight hand-cuffs and the hard floor accounted for the pain in her back, she had no idea how her knee had gotten injured.

Cameron squeezed her eyes shut before opening them a slit. The bright light came from a bare bulb above her.

Her eyes adjusted and Cameron surveyed her surroundings. It looked like the inside of a dilapidated barn. _Why am I in a barn?_

"Hello?" Her voice was raspy.

"Ah, you're awake."

A thick leg appeared next to her. She didn't need to look up to see who it was.

"Starscream."

"Very good flesh-bag. Now tell me where Optimus Prime keeps the Allspark."

Cameron's sleep-dazed brain worked slowly. "In the cupboard?"

There was a short pause before a pair of red optics glared down into her face. "Don't test my patience human."

"You're a lot smaller than I remember." Cameron stared; Starscream looked like he would be around her height. But then again she was lying on the floor.

A larger head joined Starscream's. _Ah, the little one is a hologram_.

"Tell me where I can find the Allspark."

Cameron struggled to her knees. "Have you looked under the couch, everything ends up under the couch."

Starscream emitted a frustrated growl as the hologram stalked forward and slapped her.

Cameron landed hard against a wall, the pain in her cheek was sharp and sobering.

_Why can't Starscream sense that I'm the Allspark?_ A sudden fear that the Allspark had been deactivated gripped her.

_Don't be stupid, you can't offline the Allspark. It creates life for Primus sake_. The rational side of her brain argued.

Cameron calmed slightly but when she looked up and saw Starscream leaning over her, her heart started pounding.

Starscream's clawed hand grabbed the front of her shirt and lifted her. Cameron's feet were dangling off the ground as she was brought face-to-face with the holoform.

"Are you ready to tell me what I want to know?"

"I don't suppose I can say 'no' can I?"

Starscream's answer was to throw her. Cameron landed hard on the straw-covered floor since she was unable to use her hands. Pain lanced through her left knee. _Great now they both hurt_.

She heard the Decepticon before she saw him. Pulled up once again to Starscream's face Cameron retorted. "You know, Prime won't give you anything if I come back broken."

"And you won't return to the Autobrats until I have what I want." He dropped her.

Cameron landed on her ass and shrunk away from the Decepticon. _This is not going to end well.

* * *

_

Jazz streamed through the security checkpoint and headed for the main hanger. Once he was through the door he transformed while still moving. Slamming his way through the base Jazz didn't stop until he reached Prime's quarters. Wrenching open the metal door, Jazz darted inside and forced Optimus out of recharge.

"Jazz! What in Primus' name are you doing?"

"It's Cameron, she's missing."

Prime jerked up. "What do you mean 'missing'?"

"She didn't come back from work."

"Where were you?"

Shame filled Jazz's spark. "With Bumblebee. I failed Optimus, I lost the Allspark."

Prime was silent for a few moments before pulling himself off the berth. "Go wake up Ratchet, we have to find Cameron."

Jazz nodded sadly and made to leave but found Optimus' hand on his shoulder.

"Jazz, mistakes happen so don't beat yourself up, Cameron will do that for you when we find her."

Jazz smiled and raced to awaken the medic.

* * *

_(Three days later)_

The Autobots gathered at the base. They had been doing everything they could think of to locate Cameron or the Decepticons. Starscream's ransom transmission had reached them the day after Cameron's disappeared; they would trade the girl for the Allspark.

Optimus had even authorized involving the local police force while Cameron's father had managed to get some military help with the aid of Captain Lennox and the Secretary of Defense John Keller.

But even with all those eyes on the lookout, no sign of their target had been found.

Optimus now stood listening to Ratchet with a frustrated scowl on his face. It shouldn't be this hard to trace the Allspark.

"The device I created for Cameron, to disable her broadcasting, also doubles as an energy dampener. I designed it that way so that the Decepticons wouldn't be able to trace the Allspark's energy to Cameron."

"It's obviously doing its job; Starscream doesn't know Cameron is the Allspark."

"How strong is that signal?" Optimus asked softly, almost to himself.

"This could get very bad, very quickly." Bumblebee commented.

"How much worse can this get? 'Screamer is goin' to kill Cameron if we don' give him somethin' we don' have." Jazz exclaimed. Bumblebee wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Starscream could realize what Cameron is, then use her." Bee replied.

"I don't even want to think about what might have happened to Slider." Ironhide leaned against the wall.

The other Autobots fell silent. After being unable to trace Cameron they had tried for Slider, but found that her energy signal had gone silent as well. The only conclusion that they had been able to come up with was that Slider had been offlined, permanently.

Optimus broke the silence. "Slider is resourceful. I'm sure she is still functioning."

"But then why hasn't she contacted us?"

Prime didn't have an answer.

* * *

Cameron pulled herself out of the comforting darkness of sleep. She didn't know how long she had been Starscream's captive as the days and nights had bled together in a haze of pain and darkness. She could dimly remember Starscream vowing to beat her for every hour that the Autobots failed to respond…there had been a lot of beatings.

Cameron distracted herself from the pain in her side from Starscream's most recent treatment. Her metal-alloy bones might not break but they had probably been bent a great deal. The pain began to recede as the Allspark started to repair her. Cameron was careful not to heal any of her external injuries, so she now sported two black eyes, a split lip, several cuts across her face, shallow gashes along her torso and arms and numerous burns to the rest of her body. Needless to say Starscream knew how to inflict pain, although he was probably wondering why his weak human plaything was still alive.

No matter what happened to herself, Cameron vowed she would get revenge for Slider's death. She didn't know the true fate of her creation, but surely if Slider was still alive the Decepticons would have caught her. Cameron prayed that Slider's death had been quick and painless, it was her only comfort, knowing that the little robot wasn't in any pain.

Cameron leaned limply against the inside wall of a horse-stall. Groaning weakly she called out to whoever was close by. There was always someone in the barn with her, guarding her. She was rewarded with a chirp as a broad metal head appeared.

"How long have I been here?" She rasped. Cameron knew better than to ask what she really wanted. _What happened to Slider?_

The head cocked to one side and emitted a short burst of electronic chirps. It obviously didn't speak english and assumed the Cameron didn't understand its answer.

Willing to play along with that assumption Cameron adopted a confused expression and asked for some water instead. The head nodded and disappeared. Cameron pondered its answer.

'_Stupid human, can'__t even tell that three Earth days have passed. Stupid Starscream, making me sparkling-sit this pathetic excuse for a life-form.'_

_Three days_! It had felt like an eternity.

Soon it would all end, she was sure of it. Either Optimus and the Autobots would find her or she would tell Starscream everything. Slumping her head back against the wood, Cameron waited for her water.

* * *

Slider sat scared and alone in the bottom of Cameron's bag. She had been monitoring everything from the moment she and Cameron had been abducted by Barricade and Frenzy, she would have sent out a call for help but Barricade must have had some sort of signal disruptor installed to avoid detection by the Autobots.

At the moment there was only one Decepticon standing guard, the others had left to find an energy source. The only one left was a companion-bot, Scorponock. The machine was smaller than both Starscream and Barricade but still a great deal larger than Slider.

Slider chose her moment carefully; she waited until Scorponock had receded back into the hayloft before sneaking out of the bag and slinking through the shadows to Cameron's side. How the Decepticons hadn't sensed her was beyond Slider, but she used it to her advantage.

Climbing up Cameron's raised knees Slider fought down her anger at the sight of her creators abused face. She had heard Cameron's cries as Starscream thrashed her and had felt truly pathetic at being unable to do anything to stop the beatings. Taking a quick photo of the unconscious girl Slider slid off Cameron and darted for the doors the sooner she got away from the barn, the sooner she could contact the Autobots.

She hoped.

* * *

**At the moment Slider is alive but that doesn't mean it will stay that way. **

**I said when she was first created that she might not survive the story. So now's your chance to choose what happens. ****Please review and tell me whether you want Slider to live or die.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey all,**

**I think I might be being a little mean to Cameron in this chapter, but I promise it will get better for her...I hope.**

**If anyone could tell me the relative lengths of time in the transformer universe; like joor, vorn, cycle etc. I would be very appreciative. Cookies for whoever helps me.**

**Oh and lots of love to BreezesofSpring, you rock.**

**Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 16 **

An encrypted message came through at four o'clock the next morning. Jazz jerked out of recharge as the alert sounded in the communications hanger. He was soon joined by Optimus and Ratchet.

"What is it?" Prime asked as the encoded message passed over a computer monitor.

"A transmission." Jazz replied. "It's coded…weakly."

"Could it be from Starscream?" Ratchet asked behind him.

"I don't think so, he doesn't disguise his transmissions." Jazz drummed on the keyboard. "There, it's decrypted."

A terrified high-pitched voice carried from the speakers.

'_H-hello? Hello? Optimus? Ratchet? Please, if you get this message, I-I'm in a small town called Beaumont. C-Cameron…"_ The trio exchanged looks as they heard Slider's vents working overtime. The voice now held a heavy layer of desperation. _"Starscream has Cameron! He's hurting her. Please hurry. I-I'll be at The Diner, in the phone booth. Please!"_

The transmission ended on a wave of static.

"She's alive!" The trio turned to see Ironhide standing in the doorway. "We have to help her."

"I agree," Prime replied. "Ratchet find where Beaumont is. Jazz contact Bumblebee, make sure Sam stays behind. Ironhide inform Captain Lennox of this development. Autobots roll out."

* * *

Slider huddled in the dirty phone booth behind a battered phone directory. Thinking back she realized the message that she sent to the Autobots had sounded very desperate. It probably wouldn't have sounded so bad if she wasn't stuck in her bipedal form, surrounded by humans and been in the open when a cop car drove past. It had been a regular car but Slider had fallen into a slight state of paranoia and regarded every car as a possible Decepticon. 

Keeping out of sight Slider hoped that Optimus and the others would get there soon.

* * *

The mis-matched convoy of vehicles rolled into Beaumont just after midday. As they approached they could feel Slider's energy signature, it was weak. Grim anticipation hung over the group, no doubt the Decepticons were aware of their presence, or would be soon.  
"Where did Slider say she would be?" Bumblebee asked as they parked. Five holograms appeared. 

"The diner." Ratchet replied.

"There's three diners." Jazz said irritably.

"Hey, what about that one?" Bumblebee pointed at a dirty neon sign. Theo's Diner. "The 'o' and 's' aren't working. 'The Diner'"

Ironhide's burly holoform stepped forward. "I'll go check."

"We'll meet you in the field outside of town." Optimus revved his engine and led the others away.

Ironhide watched them go before crossing the road to the diner. He stepped through the doors with a jingle of the little bell over head, a few heads turned but no one moved. A waitress appeared from the back.

"Can I get cha somthin' hon?"

Ironhide shook his head. "I just need to use your phone."

The woman smiled and pointed to the end of the diner.

With long strides Ironhide crossed the floor. Slider was close, he could feel it.

The phone was in a small alcove, feeling safe from prying eyes, Ironhide started to search through the junk around it. After several moments sifting through scrunched paper and empty beer cans, he came across a battered phonebook, lifting it he found what he was looking for. Slider, hunched in her bipedal form, looked up at him with wide optics.

"You know you could get in a lot of trouble looking like that."

A small smile lifted her face plates. "Ironhide?"

'Hide nodded and found himself under attack by a very happy mini-bot. She had leapt onto his neck and was currently trying to strangle him with her hug.

"Stop that. The others are nearby, can you transform?"

Slider shook her head, Ironhide suppressed a sigh.

"Alright, climb under the jacket and don't move."

Ironhide returned the phonebook to its place and sauntered out of the diner. Climbing into himself, Ironhide quickly went to join the Autobots in their field.

&&&&&&&&&&

He transformed and Slider settled into his palm. She was as dirty and battered as the phonebook she had been hiding under.

"Slider, it's good to see you safe." Optimus held his hand out and Slider crawled onto it.

"It's good to see some friendly faces."

"Are you functioning normally Slider? Your energy levels appear low." Ratchet started running scans over the little body.

"I'm fine, except I can't transform."

"What happened?"

"I fell down a ditch and landed on a rock, I think I broke my keypad too."

Ratchet took Slider away from Optimus and began repairing her.

"Slider, where is Cameron being held?" Optimus asked.

The little red head twisted in Ratchet's grasp. "I don't know. It was dark when I escaped and I walked through most of the night until I got to the town and called you."

"Why didn't you contact us earlier?"

"No reception." She replied as if it was obvious.

"What direction did you come from?"

"The north, I think."

Prime turned to his soldiers. "Jazz, Bumblebee." The pair looked up. "Patrol the town, see if you can find anything."

"What are we lookin' for?"

"A Decepticon preferably."

The silver and yellow mechs nodded and disappeared down the road.

"Ironhide, find the road that heads north, see if you can find anything that the Decepticons might be hiding in."

There was a roar and the black Topkick left the paddock.

"You'll get her back, won't you Prime?"

He turned back. "We'll do our best."

"It's just, she looked so bad when I left. I have a photo, I'll show you when I'm fixed…I hope she's okay. Starscream was getting more violent."

* * *

Cameron huddled in the dark. Ever since Starscream came back it had been dark. Bringing her bound hands up, Cameron carefully examined her left eye. It was swollen shut and the other wasn't much better. Breathing heavily she tried to make herself comfortable in the straw, bruises and cuts all over her body made it an impossibility. 

_If only there was a way to get out._

It had occurred to Cameron to use the Allspark to gain an advantage over her captors, but none seemed inclined to get close enough to her to give her a chance. Only Starscream's holoform ever came within reaching distance, and before she got a chance to see if she could even affect a hologram the pain would start and Cameron would lose her fight for consciousness.

A creaking sound alerted Cameron's groggy brain to another's presence. Forcing open her 'good' eye she saw a flash of silver.

"Jazz?" she murmured weakly.

"G-great. Now s-she's seeing dead mechs."

_Jazz is dead?_ A wave of grief swept over Cameron and hardened her resolve. _They've killed my friends, I won't let them kill me._

Reaching out slowly Cameron wrapped one hand around a thin metal leg. Using the physical connection, she accessed the Decepticons neural matrix via his spark. Under her influence the small mech leaned down and cut through her wrist bonds.

Pleased with her actions and unwilling to kill, Cameron released her hold on the leg and moved away. Her short interaction with the strong spark had had revived her slightly, now if she could get her hands on Starscream she would be able to escape.

* * *

Frenzy jerked out of his trance, something was wrong, something was different. The human was curled against a wall as if to protect its already battered body. 

Frenzy had only entered the stall, after Starscream had left, to make sure that the female was still alive. Confirming that, he clambered up to the hayloft, Scorponock was recharging in a pile of hay. Careful not to wake the companion, Frenzy settled into the rafters.

Something was wrong, different. And it was haunting his neural circuitry.

&&&&&&&&&&

Frenzy woke up to scream of pain. Starscream was venting his anger on the human again. Cracking his thin metal digits, His recharge had been troubled, something wasn't right. Frenzy scaled down the wall to the floor. Peeking out form behind a rotting wooden crate Frenzy watched as Starscream threw the girl against a wall. 

_How did her hands come undone?_ He had tied her bonds and nothing was more intricate and tight than one of Frenzy's knots.

He felt a little sorry for the human as Starscream held her up by the neck with one hand and cut along her collarbone with his other, leaving several bleeding lines behind.

"Where is the Allspark?"

"Where am I?" She was slipping in and out of consciousness.

Starscream emitted a savage growl before sinking his claws deep into her side. Her screams made Frenzy flinch. This kind of cruelty was used to interrogate and punish traitors, and used only on other Transformers. Frenzy wasn't sure how much longer the squishy would last without proper medical attention.

"Tell me where the Allspark is."

"Tell me where I am and I'll tell you where to find the Allspark."

Starscream was apparently too far gone in his anger or insanity to realize the import of her words, but Frenzy understood. It explained why he thought something was wrong, it answered his questions.

He winced again as Starscream threw the human aside and stalked out.

Creeping from his hiding place Frenzy approached the prone form in the dirt. She was slumped and twisted, laying on her side. Crouching low, Frenzy searched for a sign of life in the fragile body, the chest wasn't moving and there was a lot of fresh blood soaking into what was left of her shirt. Frenzy was starting to think that Starscream had finally killed the girl when her eyes snapped open. Brilliant blue light shone out of them as her body coiled and arched. Frenzy watched in wonder as the most serious of her wounds became less fatal.

In two minutes the bleeding had all but stopped, her chest was moving with slow regular breaths and her eyes had faded into a deep green. Assured that she wasn't about to 'kick the bucket' Frenzy fled the old barn.

Had he turned back he would have seen a dark form descend from the loft and carefully carry the girl into her stall.

Frenzy walked as swiftly as possible to find his partner, Barricade was lounging against a large tree when the little mech approached. Frenzy had accepted 'Cade's hatred of Starscream long ago and had adopted it as his own. Usually he tolerated Starscream due to the fact that he was their leader, but now the idiot was beating the carrier of the Allspark on a regular basis, without realizing whom he was thrashing.

"'Cade!"

"Something wrong Frenzy? Is Starscream having another tantrum?" Apparently he had heard the human screaming.

Frenzy twitched in his usual fashion as he scaled Barricade's side. Perched on his shoulder, Frenzy whispered his discovery into Barricade's audio receptors. The large mech tensed under him before placing him on the ground, transforming and leaving in a hail of dirt and rocks.

* * *

**Did you like it? Please review and let me know :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Okay, a couple of notes;**

**Now is your last chance to tell me whether or not Slider should die. I have also decided to put Starscream on death row. So please let me know if you think either of them should kick the can.**

**Um, in case anyone was wondering pickled herring's are actually called 'Rollmops'. My mother eats them and they stink horrifically, she can clear out a room by opening a jar of them.**

**Barricade may seem like he's being a good boy but like any 'good' Decepticon, he's bad to the bone.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own.

* * *

Chapter 17**

Cameron felt broken. It was worse, far worse, than when she had met Starscream the first time.

She was beginning to regret wanting to spend a week with Starscream. Work was much easier than this, even if she did have to smell pickled herring all day.

_How come when I want something to happen or change, Starscream shows up to hurt me?_

If she ever got her hands on his cold metal frame she would teach him what it was like to stand on deaths edge and not know if you were going to tumble.

A surge of weakness shook Cameron's body; it was taking what was left of her strength to make the Allspark repair her most desperate wounds. With her strength failing so was the Allspark's. At this rate if she want through anymore beatings she would die, the Allspark with her.

A cool touch ran down her side. Cameron tensed for a moment before relaxing under the comforting ministrations of her unknown carer. Sighing harshly as the touch wandered over her injuries she slipped into sleep.

* * *

The patrols were proving to be fruitless, either the Decepticons were hiding or they had bailed when the Autobots had gotten too close. 

Optimus was unwilling to leave the area until some clue to where Cameron was turned up. He had the Autobots searching in every direction, but still nothing had been found. Prime had to admit that maybe it was time to move their search elsewhere.

Ironhide had returned from his initial search and complain heartily about the amount of dirt tracks and side roads. Optimus had seen the scan and admitted that there were dozens of places for the Decepticons to hide.

He was debating what to do when Ratchet approached with Slider on his shoulder. Her broken components had been repaired as well as possible. She looked highly anxious and fidgety.

"Optimus, she has something to show you."

The little robot tittered nervously before moving to Optimus' open hand and transforming. The large screen was blank for a moment then lit up with a picture.

Optimus controlled the urge to curse heatedly. The unconscious face in the picture bore only a slight resemblance to Cameron; the hair was the same, if caked with dried blood, but the rest was several shades of blue and purple with sickly yellow around the edges. The skin around both eyes was dark and the left was beginning to swell. Numerous cuts were crusted over with dried blood.

Prime felt anger heating up his systems. Cameron wouldn't survive much longer if she wasn't able to heal herself and due to the extent of the injuries, she couldn't.

"Why hasn't the Allspark healed her?" Optimus asked.

"I don't know. It should be able to heal her within minutes but the amount of damage she has received is extreme; it could be that the Allspark doesn't have to power to constantly repair a human body."

"It created Cybertron and gave us life, how could it not have the energy?"

"It is housed inside a human; humans were not made to store such large amounts of energy. This could be a side effect of Cameron being the Allspark."

Optimus lapsed into a thoughtful silence, glancing at the image again he made a mental note not to let Jazz see that image, the mech felt bad enough already.

Just then Jazz and Bumblebee entered the field. With a quick order Slider was back in her bipedal form before the pair arrived.

"Nothin' new in town, Prime. But I think the sheriff is startin' to notice us."

"I don't want to leave but we can't risk any humans finding us. We'll wait for Ironhide to return before we head north."

Jazz and Bumblebee nodded and moved into the shade of a tree.

"You don't want them to know." Ratchet said.

"Jazz is taking all the blame for this on himself." Optimus replied.

"If he had been with us this wouldn't have happened." Slider commented with a small scowl.

"I agree, but there's no point in punishing him when he's already punishing himself."

Static filled the air before Ironhide called in. _#Prime! I've got a lead.#_

"What is it Ironhide?"

_#It's black and white and stinks like a Decepticon.#_

_Barricade!_ "Where is he?"

_#About to pass you.# _The transmission was followed by the distant sounds of engines. Rousing the couple, the Autobots prepared to take down Barricade.

* * *

_Almost there._

He could sense them, feel their hostility. It was nothing new.

And just because he was about to help them meant nothing, they were still his enemies.

The black weapons specialist was tailing him now. As soon as he found the other Autobots he could 'retreat' back to Starscream.

That fragger could deal with five angry Autobots. He himself would do only minimal damage, that way he couldn't be deactivated as a traitor. If he got lucky, maybe the Autobots would take down Starscream permanently.

* * *

Optimus watched curiously as the Decepticon sped past their field before completing a swift 180° turn and pausing. Optimus became more intrigued when the Saleen winked one headlight and revved his engine. 

The Decepticon then lunged forward, he was headed straight for Ironhide. Prime watched, almost in wonder, as Barricade aimed for Ironhide's grill, then at the last possible moment transformed, sailed over the black Topkick and landed on the dirt as a vehicle again. The sound that came from the departing Decepticon was a laugh.

_He knows were Cameron is._ "Follow him!" Prime ordered.

Engines roared as the Autobots hurried to obey; Ironhide did a quick u-turn and was the first to chase Barricade, Jazz was seconds ahead of Bumblebee as they transformed and followed, Optimus and Ratchet brought up the rear while Slider clutched at Optimus' seats.

The chase was on.

* * *

Scorponok peered down at the human; she was sleeping on her back. It was strange that the Allspark would use such a fragile creature to return to its former glory. It was stranger still that Scorponok felt no true anger that a human had been chosen for this honor. 

Moving silently the scorpion-shaped Decepticon pushed more straw around the human. Her wounds were horrific and healing terribly slowly, even with the Allspark's help. It was like the body had not enough energy to repair itself.

Scorponok scanned their surroundings; Starscream was outside as was Frenzy. Barricade was no where to be seen.

Confident that he wouldn't be observed, Scorponok settled onto the ground next to the human. Nudging a limp hand with his broad head he felt her unconsciously grip onto a metal plate. Power immediately engulfed his systems and spark. He felt it drawing energy away from him while at the same time thanking him for his generosity.

It sent a surge of pure emotion through Scorponok, an emotion that the companion hadn't felt since Blackout's death; happiness.

He returned the feeling as well as he knew it via their physical link.

"Thank you." A weak voice replied.

Focusing on the human's face Scorponok saw the unswollen eye was open, it shone a vibrant blue. The Allspark was speaking.

"You are a far greater mech than your comrades give you credit for."

Scorponok bowed his head without breaking contact.

"I wish to give you a token of my gratitude, for the care you have given me."

Her other hand raised off her stomach, Scorponok caught it on his claw. With a surge of insight he brought around his amputated tail and transferred the hand. The eye shone brighter and a painful tingle ran through his tail to his spark. Scorponok almost screeched out in pain as his body began to produce metal plating and a brand new set of spikes.

When the pain faded Scorponok stared at his tail, whole again.

The hand slipped off. "Do not abuse this gift, for I can take it away as well."

Scorponok faced the human again, leaning close he emitted a series of clicks that relayed his appreciation. A smile curved her lips before the hand on his face went limp, the eye dulled to green and she fell once more into sleep.

Scorponok flexed his tail before climbing back to his small nest, which happened to sit almost directly above the human's stall.

Peering through a hole he had made in a rotting plank he watched the girl. She held the reason they had come to Earth.

Starscream entered the barn. Without thought Scorponok's new tail whipped above his head. Starscream would not harm the human again, not now that he had pledged his loyalty to her. Luckily, Starscream seemed more interested in recharging than beating the girl again.

Scorponok brought his tail under control. It would be best if the other Decepticons didn't know about his tail or the human, although he suspected that Frenzy may have figured it out.

Growling softly, Scorponok settled into his hay-nest and watched over the human Allspark protectively.

* * *

Barricade sped along the dirt roads. The Autobots were following him closely. It would be tight but if his plan worked he and Frenzy would survive while Starscream got slagged. Barricade didn't particularly care what happened to Blackout's companion, the scorpion had been almost useless without his partner. 

He was closing in on the dilapidated barn. Time to alert the troops.

_#Frenzy, we've got company.#_

_#'Cade! Where d-did the Autobots c-come from?#_

_#I found them on Route 83 sitting in a paddock.#_

A low whistle came through the radio. _#Starscream is going to be p-pissed.#_

_#Where is 'Screamer?#_ Barricade asked.

_#Rec__h-charging.#_ Frenzy answered slowly.

_#Excellent, wake him up when I tell you to.#_

_#Wake up Starscream? You may h-have a death wish b-but I d-don't. Why d-did you bring the Autob-bots?#_

_#Are you certain the human contains the Allspark?#_

_#Y-yes.#_

_#Then the Autobots are going to get what they want and we are going to survive.#_

_#How?#_

_#How do you feel about being neutral for a while?#_

_#It s-sounds as exciting as watching Scorponok s-sleeping.#_ Frenzy replied dryly.

_#Then how do you feel about living.#_

_#It's better than Oblivion.#_ Frenzy admitted

_#Exactly. Wake up 'Screamer, I'm almost there.#_

Barricade switched off his radio and focused on the barn just outside visual range. Starscream would have a hell of a wake up headache.

* * *

Frenzy moved jerkily into the barn. Barricade must be crazy if he thought Starscream would spare their lives after bringing the Autobots here. Unless 'Cade had a plan to destroy Starscream. 

A little spasm of excitement ran through the silver mech. If Starscream was deactivated their lives would be much easier, they could even abandon Earth and return to Cybertron. They might even be able to claim leadership of the Decepticons…maybe not, Soundwave or Shockwave would claim that title. Personally he was more fond of Soundwave.

Climbing limberly up Starscream's frame Frenzy braced himself for what would come next. Standing on his shoulder Frenzy grabbed Starscream's head and shook it. The larger mech woke almost immediately and Frenzy found himself in Starscream's powerful fist.

"Why do you wake me fool?"

Frenzy squeaked out one word. "Autobots."

He was dropped as Starscream leapt to his feet and rushed outside. Frenzy quickly scaled the wall and stood on top of the roof.

There, a plume of dirt rose into the air. They were very close.

Frenzy heard Starscream curse before returning to the barn. Scampering back into the shadows he watched as their leader went for the human before stopping, cursing again and leaving the barn. The sound of shifting metal let him know that Starscream had taken to the air.

Dropping back onto the straw covered floor Frenzy went to alert Scorponok. Passing the human's stall he paused and saw what had ticked off Starscream. Scorponok stood over the human with his barbed tail poised above his head.

Wait..tail? Scorponok didn't have a tail, at least not a whole one. Looking closer Frenzy saw that Scorponok did indeed have an entire tail but that it was also twice as deadly looking as his last one.

"Scorponok, the Autobots are c-coming." Frenzy said as he stepped cautiously into the stall.

A sharp nod was his reply.

"You're g-going to g-guard the human?"

Another nod.

"Did the A-allspark give you that t-tail?"

The companion's eyes narrowed suspiciously before the head nodded slowly.

"T-that's cool. It g-gave me my b-body back." Frenzy grinned. "H-have fun." He scuttled out of the stall to the barn doors.

Barricade was now close enough to see his license plate number and the Autobots weren't too far behind. Barricade transformed and ran the last few meters before placing himself between the barn and the Autobots. Frenzy ditched the barn and clambered up to Barricade's shoulder. Starscream landed heavily next to them.

"How did the Autobots find us?" He looked at them suspiciously. "You brought them here. Traitor!"

"Why would I bring them here I don't want to die."

"Then how did they find us."

"I was patrolling the town, looking for some humans to scare, they must have spotted me."

"When I am finished with the Autobots I will punish you." Starscream glared at Barricade. When Frenzy's partner didn't respond Starscream faced their incoming enemies and fired several missiles at them.

Preparing to unleash his dangerous projectiles Frenzy was startled when Barricade started to inch back towards the barn.

So this was a plan to destroy Starscream.

Frenzy clutched at Barricade's shoulder plating in understanding and closed off his chest. Starscream wouldn't know what hit him.

* * *

**Well, what did you think? Please Review.**

**I thought it was time for some Decepticons back-stabbing.**

**Who is going to die? Slider or Starscream? maybe both?**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi!!**

**Thank you so much for the reviews. They mean so much to me :) and I'm glad so many people like Slider, thank you!**

**All right. The votes are in and the death mark has been allocated. The event should happen within the next couple of chapters so keep your eyes open :)**

**Enjoy!****

* * *

Chapter 18**

Optimus brought the Autobots to a stop a hundred feet from the barn. Barricade had led them straight here, and was now standing behind a very irate looking Starscream.

_What is Barricade playing at? Mutiny? Insurrection?_

Whatever Barricade's agenda, as long as they got Cameron back in one piece, he was willing to help.

Dodging a pair of missiles, Optimus gave the order to fire back cautiously. They couldn't afford to destroy the barn. Loud explosions erupted around him as Ironhide joined the fray with glee. Through the sounds of fire-fight Optimus sent Slider her orders.

Sliding out of a compartment near his hip, Prime monitored Slider's progress as she headed for Bumblebee. The scout nodded before transforming and driving away.

_At least those two will be safe_.

* * *

"Are you sure Prime wanted us to find a different entrance?" Bumblebee queried as he drove. 

"Are you calling me a liar?" Slider asked indignantly.

"No!" Bumblebee replied hastily. "I just thought he would have told me directly."

"He didn't want the Decepticons knowing what we are doing." That sounded plausible, Slider decided, and Bumblebee seemed to accept it.

Optimus Prime's actual orders were for Slider to choose an escort and get to safety.

The safest place Slider could think of was with Cameron, and if she took the scout along they might be able to get close without the Decepticons realizing they were there.

Slider and Bumblebee waited until they were beyond visual range before leaving the road. Cutting through fields, they gave the fight a wide berth. Slider was impressed, Bumblebee was very talented at moving silently, no wonder he was a spy.

A shiver of excitement mixed with fear ran through Slider's frame as the back of the barn came into view. The sounds of the fight entered their audio receptors as they crept closer. Slider examined the barn; there was an opening at the top as well as several small holes, but nothing that would allow a mech of Bumblebee's size inside. He would have to rip a hole in the wall, then all their stealth would be for naught.

"I can't get in." Bumblebee announced unnecessarily.

Slider looked at him. "I guess I'm going in alone then."

"Optimus won't like that."

"Optimus doesn't need to know. Just be ready to blow out the wall if I need help okay?"

Bumblebee looked uneasy as he lifted his hand to the opening in the roof, Slider shot him a smile before clambering up his arm and disappearing into the rotting structure.

The shadows were thick and dark. Spiders crawled out of her way as Slider began her search. When she had been here last she had been in a corner on the ground, the barn was very different from this angle.

Wading through a pile of hay Slider made her way to the edge of the loft. Peeking out she saw that the barn was empty.

_All the Decepticons must be outside fighting the Autobots._

Slider controlled the impulse to chirp with relief. If no one was here, she could get Cameron out and then Prime could blow the Decepticons into Oblivion.

Scurrying down a support beam Slider saw Cameron's handbag, the one she had been hiding in, it was dirty and squashed as though someone had stepped on it.

Moving away from the bag, Slider tried to remember which stall Cameron was being kept in. After looking in a couple of empty ones she saw her creator's foot. Slider was about to enter the stall when instinct made her jump back, narrowly missing being impaled. Her little blue optics snapped up, sitting on the stall wall was the companion.

_Scorponok! How could you have forgotten him?_ Slider mentally chided herself.

She kept a wary optic on the scorpion as she inched closer to Cameron. Slider hadn't taken two steps when the tail lashed out again, this time hitting her foot.

Slider let out a screech of pain as the thick spike shattered her foot. She heard Bumblebee mutedly calling to her through the wall but the pain was so excruciating that she couldn't respond.

* * *

Frenzy sat on Barricade's shoulder occasionally shooting his razor disks at the Autobots, most were thudding into the ground or fence posts, as intended, but one had actually struck. The disk was now sticking out of the gleaming shoulder of the silver Autobot. 

Frenzy had thought he was looking at a ghost when the exotic sports car had turned into the recently dead Autobot. His mind was still boggling when a bullet whizzed past his head. The Autobot Jazz was definitely not dead.

The only explanation Frenzy could come up with was that the Allspark had done it, which would explain why the human had said the Autobots name.

A sharp screech and a minor blast of power from inside the barn distracted Frenzy from the battle. Confident that Barricade could look after himself, Frenzy slipped to the ground and into the barn.

What he saw confused him utterly.

Hopping around on one foot while nursing the other was the smallest robot Frenzy had ever seen. It was even smaller than him, probably just over a foot tall.

Approaching silently Frenzy noted that Scorponok was perched on the half-wall of the human's stall. It must have tried to get to the human. But if that was the case why wasn't Scorponok dismembering it?

The tiny robot suddenly stopped weaving and glared up at Scorponok.

"You glitch-head! You killed my foot!"

Frenzy was even more stumped. The voice was high and clear and very angry with pain laced through it.

Stepping out from the shadows Frenzy moved closer, the little red 'bot was now shaking its minute fist at the scorpion.

He must have made rustled some straw because suddenly both Scorponok's and the unknown robot's attention was on him.

_It was a femme!_

Its body wasn't the usual femme style, but with the way the waist curved in before flaring at the hip components and the slightly rounded upper chassis. It was most definitely a femme.

A very small, very angry femme.

* * *

Starscream felt rage burn through his body. He knew that Barricade had something to do with the Autobots sudden appearance. He also knew that he would have a lot of fun punishing that traitorous mech. 

Pain seared at his shoulder as a small high-heat explosive hit him.

Growling savagely he took great pleasure in firing off several high explosive rounds at the black Autobot.

They wouldn't take him down, not when he had finally become the Leader of the Decepticons. Megatron couldn't take back the title either, seeing as he was dead and buried. Killed by a human, pitiful. Starscream had always known that Megatron was weak; he had never deserved to lead the illustrious Decepticon army.

All Starscream needed to do was find the Allspark, then he could return to Cybertron and rebuild the planet as he saw fit. He would control all of Cybertron and proclaim himself King. Then he would set about dominating the universe. A glorious vision.

But to make his plans come true he would have to avoid destroying Optimus Prime until the Allspark was in his hands. Then the Autobot Leader would perish along with the rest of Starscream's enemies.

* * *

Fear mixed with anger and pain as Slider spotted Frenzy. The roiling sensations made Slider feel sick as well as doomed as the four-foot Decepticon stalked towards her. 

Backing up painfully, Slider remembered the Scorponok was behind her.

_Great, I have half a foot left, Decepticons surrounding me and the only Autobot that knows I'm in here can't help me without alerting the others outside. I'm screwed!_

Frenzy stopped two feet away from her; with his head canted at an inquisitive angle Slider decided that he was both intimidating and cute. Surprise flooded her neural circuits.

_Cute!?_ This is not the time to develop a crush on the mech closest to her height.

Standing at her full height, which barely came to his knee, Slider prepared to defend herself.

"You're t-tiny."

Slider stared then frowned. "You can't talk."

"I'm t-taller than you."

"Well, I can talk normally." It was weak but Slider felt like she should be better at something.

Frenzy scowled at her. "I had t-too much high-grade as a s-sparkling."

Slider lifted an eye ridge before giggling.

Frenzy's scowl deepened. "Who are you?"

Slider looked at him suspiciously. "Why do you want to know?"

"I wanna know whether I need t-to kill you or not-t."

"You don't need to kill me." Slider assured him. "I just came to see if Cameron was still alive."

His optics narrowed. "You're an Autobot."

Slider stared in terrified fascination as a panel on the silver body moved and revealed several razor-sharp disks.

_He's going to kill me._ Slider realized. "Well it was a fun life while it lasted, the whole six or seven weeks of it." She muttered softly as she braced to feel the impact of those deadly disks.

Suddenly there was a hiss and a shadow settled over her. Looking up, Slider saw that Scorponok was now crouched over her.

"Scorponok, what are y-you doing?" Frenzy demanded.

An ultra fast series of slicks and chirps answered him. At a slightly slower rate they processed in Slider's neural cortex.

'_She is a piece of the Allspark.'_

"What do you m-mean?" Frenzy asked.

'_She was created by the human-Allspark. If you destroy her you destroy part of the Allspark.'_

Frenzy looked at her thoughtfully and Slider wished Scorponok hadn't said anything.

* * *

The fight outside wasn't going as well as Prime could have hoped. With the barn and Cameron behind the Decepticons, the Autobots had to aim carefully while the Decepticons could fire as liberally as they wanted. The only helpful part was that there were only two Decepticons and Barricade wasn't helping much. 

Optimus was beginning to think about recalling Bumblebee and Slider. Bumblebee's skills as a spy could be useful right now to find an alternate way into the barn, while Slider would be fairly safe next to Ratchet or himself.

Prime was bout to open a link with Bumblebee when he noticed a hint of color at the back of the barn.

Recalibrating his optics, Prime saw that his scout was behind the barn already. But that also meant that Slider was there too.

* * *

**That's it for now. If I get some free time later I might be able to put up something short tonight.**

**Please let me know what you thought.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi all,**

**A massive thank you to all my reviewers. I love you all :)**

**I wrote this on Tuesday night but I ****didn't really like the way it flowed. I've tried to make it better but I'm not sure how success ful I was. **

**If it doesn't read well I'm sorry. It's really just a lead up to the next one.**

**Enjoy!**

**I don't own Transformers****

* * *

**

Chapter 19 

Barricade watched as Starscream sent missile after missile at the Autobots. If they weren't careful they would get their afts handed to them.

Barricade couldn't allow that, he had too much riding on the fact that Starscream wouldn't survive this encounter not that he'd wipe out all the Autobots. Starscream was too dangerous, especially with his sanity starved mind.

Predicting the trajectory of Starscream's next barrage of missiles based on his last round, Barricade leveled his gun and shot the Autobot Ironhide in the shoulder. Barricade watched with some satisfaction as the large mech reeled sideways and collapsed on the ground. It wasn't a fatal shot but it would put him out of action for a while, it also removed him from being Starscream's next victim.

* * *

Optimus Prime glared at the place where a flash of yellow had appeared for just a moment from behind the barn.

He linked to Bumblebee's radio. _#Bumblebee, what are you doing?#_

_#What you told us to do?#_ Bumblebee sounded confused.

_#I told Slider to get to safety.#_

Bumblebee groaned. _#She told me that you wanted us to find another way in.#_

_#Where is Slider now?#_

There was no response.

_#Bumblebee?#_

Obvious reluctance colored his voice. _#She's inside.#_

Optimus was staggered. He had Starscream aiming for his head, Ironhide was injured, Ratchet was out of the fight caring for Ironhide, Cameron was still missing, Bumblebee was stuck out of the action and now Slider was possibly in danger. Could this day get any worse?

A sharp pain speared through Optimus' leg, looking down there was a neat hole smoking in his lower thigh. Buckling Optimus fell to one knee, the shot had gone straight through his thigh, severing most of the control circuits.

"Prime!" Jazz appeared at his side.

"Jazz we can't do this for much longer, we need to take Starscream down."

"For good?"

"For good."

* * *

Slider moved deeper into Scorponok's shadow. At the moment he was the only thing between her and Frenzy. And given the fact that she was placing all her hope in a Decepticon showed Slider that she had no real hope at all. Especially since Scorponok had just told Frenzy her secret.

Now Frenzy was looking at her in a rather hungry way that sent shivers down her spinal relay. Not all bad shivers either.

"So if we t-take control of her, we t-take control of the Allspark?"

The good shivers were gone.

Scorponok clicked rapidly. _'She does not control the Allspark, the human does.'_

Frenzy spat out a series of clicks. Slider didn't need to translate them, he was swearing.

"If we c-can't use her there is no point in k-keeping her alive."

All good shivers were definitely gone and replaced by so many more bad ones.

'_If the femme is destroyed then any influence over the Allspark is lost as well.'_

"How d-do you know t-that?"

Whatever Scorponok was about to say was lost as a weak moan came from behind her. Spinning on the foot that was still there, Slider limpingly dashed to her creators' side.

Falling into the straw beside Cameron's head Slider peered into the unconscious face.

A frown appeared and she started mumbling.

"No, not the space monkeys…I don't wanna eat the jelly…"

Slider moved closer and rested her hand against Cameron's cheek. Her face looked both better and worse. The swelling was greater but she was a more human color now. There was a small cut above her eye that looked fairly new and was crusted with blood.

Behind her Slider could hear the two Decepticons bickering as they got closer.

"Cameron, can you hear me?"

"Slider?" Cameron mumbled drowsily.

"Yeah, it's me. Can you get up?"

"I'm sorry Slider, I'm so s-sorry." Her voice broke at the end.

Slider frowned. "Sorry for what?"

The puffy eyes opened slightly, their focus was off. "That you died. I'm sorry that I couldn't save you."

Slider stared. Cameron thought she was dead? "No Cam, I'm right here."

Slider then noticed that Cameron was crying, big soulful tears. Slider turned and glared at the pair behind her.

"What did you glitches do to her?"

Both shrugged at her, well Frenzy shrugged while Scorponok bobbed him head and shook his tail.

"St-tarscream was rather…enthusiastic, when s-she wouldn't help him." Frenzy said delicately.

Slider leapt to her one and a half feet. Pain rippled up her leg but she ignored it. She marched firmly towards Frenzy, when she was close enough she took a flying jump and landed on Frenzy's chest. She quickly climbed up the startled Decepticon, latched onto the sides of his head and stared into his optics.

"I know exactly what he was doing. I heard her screaming. I was here." She said angrily. The crimson optics widened and Frenzy stumbled back. Slider didn't release her grip even as his hands came to her sides. "I couldn't help her then but I can now and you won't stop me."

Frenzy's hands were clasp around her waist and he drew her away slowly. "Where were you hiding?"

Slider was shocked that he was speaking softly. _Did he actually care? _

Of course not

_But then why did he ask and not demand?_

_Wow, he has the most beautiful ruby optics._

Slider stopped herself before she vented a dreamy sigh.

_What did it matter if he knew where she was hiding? It's not like she was going to hide there again._

"The bag in the corner." She said finally.

Without releasing her Frenzy moved out of the stall, into the main section of the barn. Together they faced the squashed bag.

"How long ago did you escape?"

"A few days." _Why was she being so open with him?_ It defied explanation but something inside Slider felt like it was reaching out to him.

"If you had stayed much longer you would have been crushed. Starscream has been recharging in that corner recently."

Slider smiled wanly, she let go of Frenzy and dropped to the floor. Limping, she went back to Cameron.

* * *

_Why don't I kill her?_

Frenzy watched in silence as the little red Autobot moved away from him.

_#Scorponok. If I kill her will it affect the Allspark's power?#_

The broad head looked over the stall wall and shook subtly.

_#Then don't stop me.#_ It was an order. Among companions, the one with the highest level partner was superior. Or in this case the one _with_ a partner.

Silently he removed a disk from his chest, without disturbing anything around him he approached the stall. The Autobot was leaning over the human, it's back perfectly exposed. Raising the shiny silver weapon he tensed for attack. From the corner of his visual field he saw Scorponok look away.

One quick slice straight through the back of her neck. She would feel only the slightest pain and then he would finish her off.

One quick slice, back of her neck.

One quick slice.

One slice…

He couldn't do it.

_Why can't I kill her?__ If I can't kill a single Autobot, I must be getting weak_.

Returning the blade to his chest Frenzy slid into the stall, watching as she tried to coax the human out of sleep. Those small hands were running lightly over the human's face. Unlike Starscream who would have ripped the human to pieces if he got his way. What he would have done to the tiny femme…Frenzy didn't want to know, yet inexplicable knowledge filled his neural circuits. Something tightened in his chest.

A sudden fear opened in Frenzy's spark and he knew he had to get her out before Starscream found out she even existed.

"You have to l-leave."

Her angry blue optics turned to his. _Such a pretty blue._

"You have to l-leave now."

"I can't. Cameron isn't awake yet. I won't leave her here."

Frenzy knew that if she remained near him too much longer he'd do or say something he'd regret later.

"How about t-this, S-scorponok will watch over t-the human until it's s-safe for you to return." She looked at the companion who nodded solemnly.

"How do I know that I can trust you?"

"You don't, but w-what do we have t-to gain from an almost dead h-human?"

"Promise you won't hurt her?"

Scorponok trilled his oath.

Apparently satisfied the little femme reluctantly left the stall. Frenzy followed her as she awkwardly climbed up to the hayloft, just as she was about slip through the hole in the roof Frenzy grabbed her hand.

"What's your name?" He knew immediately that shouldn't have asked. He hoped she wouldn't answer.

There was a strange look in her optics. "Slider."

Then she disappeared through the hole.

Frenzy made his way back to the ground in a daze.

A rapid clicking attacked his stupor_. 'What's wrong Frenzy? Did the little Autobot bat her optics at you?'_

"Shut up! Or you can join Blackout in Oblivion." Frenzy snapped angrily. The scorpion jerked and hissed before retreating to the human.

No, Frenzy wouldn't admit to anyone how much the femme had affected him, not even Barricade, and he would never say her name.

* * *

Bumblebee waited anxiously as Slider dropped from the roof like she promised. He caught her carefully in his hand and he moved away from the barn.

"Is she in there?" Bumblebee asked.

"Yep."

"Can we get to her?"

"Nope."

"Why?"

"Ever heard of a mech called Scorponok?"

"Is he still alive? I though he would have deactivated himself after Blackout was put away."

"He's guarding her. We have to get her out without killing him."

She was suddenly reserved and quiet. What had happened in there?

"Prime wants us back."

"Then we had better hurry."

Bumblebee didn't waste any time as he headed back to the Autobots, they skimmed past the paddocks and tore up the dirt road to the barn.

Bumblebee arrived at Optimus Prime's side just as Frenzy appeared on Barricade's shoulder again.

He received a reproachful glare from Optimus and a relived one from Jazz, placing his left hand on Jazz's shoulder he transformed his right one into an energy cannon.

Aiming at Starscream he saw that the Decepticons were placed firmly infront of the barns entrance with a large tractor as cover. Only their heads were visible.

The battle-field was silent.

"That's not much to aim for." Bumblebee commented.

"Nope, but that's all we've got until we blow apart that tractor." Jazz replied.

Bumblebee felt Optimus' gaze and returned it. There was concern, anger and resolve shining back at him. Bee knew that only the concern was for him, the anger was for Starscream.

"Did you see Cameron?"

Bumblebee shook his head. "Slider did."

* * *

Slider crawled down Bumblebee's arm, across Jazz's back and up to Optimus' shoulder.

"She's alive but Scorponok is guarding her." She raised her injured leg. "He took off my foot when I tried to get close to her."

Prime looked at her missing foot and carried her to Ratchet.

Safely ensconced in the medic's care Slider watched as Prime returned to his soldiers. She had felt his dangerous intent and thanked whoever was listening that she wasn't Starscream.

Slider checked out the scenery as she waited for Ratchet to finish plugging the hole in Ironhide's chest. Blocked off from the fight by a piece of rusted farming equipment Slider found herself curious as to how close she was to the Decepticons.

Limberly she climbed off Ratchet's lap and bounded to the harvesting machine. Standing on top of it, Slider saw that she was about the same distance away from the Decepticons as Optimus, Jazz and Bumblebee, yet she sat at a completely different angle.

Starscream was within her sights.

Leaping from the machine she moved awkwardly back to Ratchet.

"What happened to your foot?" He asked curiously.

"Scorponok."

"He's still alive?" Ironhide asked in surprise.

"Yeah. Why is that so shocking?"

Ratchet grimaced as he began welding metal scraps to her ankle. "When a companion loses their partner, like Scorponok did Blackout, the companion usually loses the will to live and deactivates itself."

Slider stared at the medic. "That's horrible!"

"Nevertheless it's true. If Scorponok is still functioning it can only mean that he still has hope."

"Let the slagger come out and fight, I'll blast him." Ironhide declared.

Slider eyed her friends as if from a distance. She was about to speak when Starscream's voice carried over to them.

"Give it up Prime, you can't win."

Exchanging looks with the two mechs, the trio peered over the top of the harvester. Starscream was still behind the tractor but he had a smug expression on his face.

"Hand over the Allspark."

"I want to see the human." Prime answered.

"Don't fear Prime, on my honor I swear that she will be yours as soon as the Allspark is in my hands."

"You don't have any honor Starscream."

Starscream's red optics narrowed. "You want to see her? Fine!"

There was a moment of silence before an evil grin spread across his face. The barn door slid open further.

Slider heard startled gasps coming from Ratchet and Ironhide. She was too shocked at what she was seeing.

Scorponok had exited the barn with Cameron. Her creator was standing weakly on the scorpions back, being supported by his tail.

_He said he wouldn't hurt her!__ Liar!_

Terror and fury welled in Slider's spark as she stared at the spike protruding from Cameron's chest.

* * *

_Gasp! _

If you liked it please review :)


	20. Chapter 20

**Hi all,**

**Yay! 20 chapters! **

**I really didn't think anyone would like this enough for me to get to 20, so i would like to let you know that all my reviewers are extermely special to me. Especially BreezesofSpring **

**Very many thank yous to all who reviewed. Your support is wonderful. ****soaringphoenix86 pointed out that Frenzy's optics are actually blue, thank you **

**Is Cameron dead? Will Slider be an orphan? Is Starscream really that stupid?... Maybe.**

**Enjoy! **

**I don't own Transformers.**

_thoughts_

_Allspark/Cameron_

**

* * *

Chapter 20**

Pain ran through Cameron's body. It was mainly coming from her right shoulder, although that wasn't surprising since Scorponok had thrust his tail through her shoulder. Cameron felt like a piece of meat on a hook, dangling with her right shoulder slightly higher than the rest of her body. Cameron didn't have the strength lift her head off her chest and she was only dimly aware that she was outside. Her feet brushed limply against Scorponok's back.

'_Scorponok?_' Cameron felt his tail-spike tense inside her. _'What's going on? Why have you stabbed me? I thought you I told you not to abuse your gift?'_

'Forgive me Allspark. Starscream ordered me to bring you out impaled on my tail.'

Anger burned in Cameron, giving her some much needed strength. Starscream would pay dearly for what he had done to herself and Slider.

Grief ached in her heart as she thought of her creation. When Scorponok had pulled her out of the stall Cameron had seen her crushed bag. There was no way that Slider could have survived whatever had happened to it.

The stabbing grief Cameron felt slowly eased as she remembered the hallucination she had seen; Slider's miniature face, optics filled with caring concern. She had managed to tell the hallucination that she was sorry before she had blacked out again. Somehow Cameron felt that Slider had heard her.

So here she was, stuck on the end on Scorponok's tail like a pig on a spit. Cameron could hear Starscream and Optimus Prime, but as if from a long way away, Optimus sounded angry.

* * *

Barricade looked askance at his leader. Starscream must have broken what was left of his sanity chips if he thought displaying their prisoner on a spike would pacify Optimus Prime, the Autobot leader looked about ready to explode. When he spoke a chill ran down Barricade's spinal relay, it was low and calm with a distinct level of anger. 

"Starscream, you have gone too far. Let her go." Prime's tone promised retribution.

Barricade's moved away slowly as Starscream began to laugh manically. The longer he was near Starscream the shorter his life would be.

Over a tight link he contacted Frenzy. _#Someone is going to die soon and I would prefer it not to be us.#_

Frenzy shifted on his shoulder. _#I can't believe I'm saying this but I think we might be safer near the Auto-chumps.#_

_#I concur, Starscream's on his own from here. Tell me when to move.# _

Barricade shifted on his feet, when the signal came he'd be ready to move. Frenzy's observational talents would allow him to monitor everyone involved and decide on the most appropriate time to make their departure.

Starscream wrapped a hand around the human and yanked her off Scorponok's tail-spike. Frenzy gave the signal a minute second after the human screamed.

Prepared and waiting, Barricade started away from Starscream. If they didn't get out of there now, they wouldn't live to see the sunset.

* * *

Slider was alternating between panicking and seething with rage. Starscream would pay and so would Scorponok. But first she had to get to them, and find a way to deactivate them before they squished her. 

_If only Cameron was awake, then she could use the Allspark__'s power._

An idea struck. It would no doubt cause her a lot of pain and maybe the loss of some limbs but it might just be enough to wake up Cameron.

* * *

Optimus had his rifle in his hand. He knew he couldn't use it while Cameron was in Starscream's fist, but it felt good to have it leveled at Starscream's head. Beside him Prime could feel the anger radiating off Jazz and Bumblebee. Like him, they wouldn't stop until the Decepticons were nothing but pieces of unsalvageable scrap metal.

* * *

Slider jumped up to Ironhide's shoulder. Her plan depended on him being fully functional. 

"Ironhide, are you okay?"

"Yep, Ratchet fixed me up good. How's Cameron doing?"

"Starscream has her…I need you to shoot me."

"What!?"

She leaned closer. "Remember when I messed with your cannons and made them shoot bubbles and ping-pong balls?"

Ironhide nodded and scowled.

"I need you to shoot me like you did then."

"Out of my cannon?"

Slider nodded.

"Into a wall?"

"Not exactly, replace the wall with Starscream."

"Why?"

"To save Cameron."

The Weapons Specialist seemed to consider this for a moment before nodding and powering up his cannon.

---------------

The next thing Slider knew she was flying through the air, aimed straight at Starscream's hand.

She had been right, it hurt a lot.

Slider was fairly sure she had no feet at all now, as well as a severely torched back and legs, Primus knew they felt like they were on fire.

Starscream must have seen her coming because he shifted Cameron out of the way and Slider hit his chest, hard.

Ignoring the pain in her face and lower body Slider scrambled up to his shoulder, through the ringing in her head she heard him exclaim and felt the air behind her as he tried to swat at her.

Squirreling down his arm as fast as she could, Slider clutched at Cameron's shirt. Swinging around Slider focused on waking up her creator. Slapping her miniature hand on Cameron's cheek was got her no where. Anchoring what was left of her feet into the material of Cameron's shirt she sent out a silent apology then sank her little claws into the soft flesh of Cameron's cheeks. Slider sent a spark of electricity through the contact point, Cameron's eyes flashed open. Relief flooded through Slider but was quickly replaced by fear as Starscream grabbed her and pulled her away from Cameron.

"Is this the best you can do Prime?" Starscream sneered.

Slider saw, to her horror, that there were lines of blood forming from where her claws had been. The way Starscream had forced her away from Cameron had caused her to rip long tears on the girl's face.

Slider had only moments to stare at Cameron's face before she was thrown aside like a rag-doll. The world past her in a blur as she sped through the air. Suddenly the ground loomed and Slider found herself wishing she had been made with air-bags to cushion her fall. Bracing for impact, Slider prepared to deactivate.

* * *

Cameron's breathing was labored as she fought to remain conscious. The combination of an electrical current and harsh pain had brought her out of the semi-stasis that she had fallen into. Looking around her Cameron saw that she was no longer impaled on Scorponok's spike, instead Starscream was holding her rather tightly. 

_I'm sure this has happened before._ Her brain conjured the memories of the Decepticon attack. This time Starscream wasn't going to escape with only a warning. He wasn't going to escape at all.

Lifting her head she searched for the Autobots. Optimus Prime stood a hundred yards away with Jazz and Bumblebee, they looked overly hostile. Turning her head to the right, Ratchet and Ironhide came into focus. Everyone was out of range, they wouldn't be affected by what she was about to do.

Cameron swung her head in the other direction hoping to catch a glimpse of Barricade; that mech was going down with Starscream, instead she saw the crumpled form of Slider.

_Slider! _

Cameron looked down in horror at the small smoking body. Grief and hot tears burned in Cameron's eyes as fury ran through her systems. It coupled with the pain and anger that had been fermenting since the first time Starscream had beaten her, and now threatened to engulf her with its destructive power.

Laying her hands on Starscream's fingers, Cameron focused on the energy within her. With tears streaming down her torn cheeks, she relinquished her control on the Allspark.

Cameron felt Starscream tense around her, the softer metal casing of his fingers began to burn, the heat scorched through what was left of her clothing to sear her skin. The severe pain that coursed through her body was dulled as her mind focused on the effect she was causing within Starscream's frame.

* * *

Starscream writhed as hot pain filled his body; he backed up and leant against the barn. His armor plating felt like it was shrinking. He gasped, images flashed over his optics as his body was buffeted by phantom blows. He felt like he was being beaten unmercifully. It was almost similar to Megatron's punishments. 

_Where was this coming from?_

His spark tightened as though someone was squeezing it.

_Can you feel me Starscream?_

Panic merged with pain as Starscream tried to work out who was doing this.

_Don't you know me Starscream? You've been searching for me._

_The Allspark!?_

_Correct_

_But where are you?_

_In your hand._

_The human?_

Starscream's optics flashed down to the squishy he was holding. Her eyes shone a bright blue. Starscream noticed then that all his pain was radiating from his hand. Starscream tried to release her but his body was no longer under his control, instead it brought the human/Allspark closer until she placed her hands on his chest.

To Starscream's shock the metal plating there began to shift. Starscream could feel his spark preparing to be exposed to the air, it heated and expanded.

Finally the metal was pulled back and Starscream's spark was exposed. With an anticipatory smile on her face, Starscream could do nothing but watch as she embraced his spark.

The most extraordinary pain exploded in Starscream. It was hot and cold, sharp and dull. It throbbed at the same time as lancing through him.

Starscream was so lost in this hailstorm of pain that he didn't realize that his systems were shutting down one-by-one. First went the motor control, then his environmental sensors, followed by his internal sensors.

By the time Starscream realized that he was about to be deactivated permanently he was not much more than a spark and neural processor.

_Goodbye Starscream._

A bright flash of light coupled with pain fritzed through his remaining systems and Starscream fell into the dark pit of Oblivion.

* * *

**Yes, Starscream is dead. Very dead.**

**Um, I have to apologize. This scene was probably far more explosive in my head than it is in words. Once again - apologies.**

**Next will be the aftermath of Starscream's death and Barricade, Frenzy and Scorponok will reap the rewards of their actions.**

**Does that sound ominous or what?**

**Please review, and I'll write faster.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Back again.**

**Thank you for your reviews :)**

******BreezesofSpring: Not so much butt-kicking in this chapter...but that will come later :)**

Maybe I have been a bit mean to Cameron for a little while...and I've continued for a little bit in here...I'm sorry to anyone who liked Slider.

Well, enjoy!

I don't own Transformers...but i did find several toys from the 80's while cleaning up the playroom. I now had an original Kup and Bombshell on my shelf :)

* * *

Chapter 21 

Cameron saw the world through a red haze, she breathed deeply as the last of Starscream's life energy was absorbed into her spark. Her mind felt blank, as if everything she had ever known had been wiped from her memory, her head throbbed with pain. The dark energy made her body burn with hate and anger. Cameron fought with herself to gain control over the violent force.

It was no use, Starscream's insidious energy was going to burn her body from the inside out if she didn't release his poisonous power.

Tipping her head back Cameron screamed as Starscream's energy jumped from the tips of her fingers into the ground. It crackled in the air over her head and around her body; it was almost a visible force.

As the energy faded from the air Cameron dropped her head onto her chest. She stumbled backwards as the strength drained out of her. Cameron quickly found herself leaning against something hard. Shifting her eyes to the side she saw Scorponok.

She'd deal with him when she was stronger.

"Cameron?"

Her head came up slowly, there was someone there. Someone she should know. Memories slowly leaked back into her brain. It took Cameron a couple of minutes to give the face a name. Optimus Prime.

Crouching infront of her was Optimus Prime. A sense of safety and calm spread through Cameron as she pushed away from the brown Decepticon to stumble forward into Optimus' face.

With a contented sigh Cameron embraced as much of Optimus' face as possible. His nose was under her right arm with her left hand curled on his temple, her body pressed close to his battle-mask. The light from his optics bathed Cameron in their soft blue glow. Resting her head on the smooth metal between his optics, Cameron felt her spark cleanse itself from the encounter with Starscream.

"Hello."

"Cameron, are you all right?"

"I've been better." Cameron smiled weakly. Damn it was good to be with her friends again.

_Friends_. Why did that word cause a niggling in the back of her mind? What was she missing? It was as if something was just beyond her grasp, teasing her like an oasis in the desert. A mirage, a hallucination.

_Slider_!

Cameron wrenched away from Optimus and spun on her unsteady legs. Her gaze zeroed in on Slider's crash site. The little red frame looked like a burnt pretzel. Cameron's eye's widened as she noticed Frenzy hovering over her friend. Lurching forward, Cameron ignored the pain in her body, she staggered to Slider's side. Frenzy jumped out of the way as she collapsed on her knees in the dirt. She reached for the small body, sparks of energy arched between her fingers and Slider.

"Slider?" Cameron gathered the limp metal frame close. "Slider!" The small optics remained dark.

Lowering her head Cameron gave in to her tears. Just as she had thought that she was whole again, a piece of her was extinguished. Cameron gripped the lax body to her chest and cried. Salt water stung as it ran into the cuts on her cheeks but Cameron didn't notice. Blood mixed with the tears that ran down her face and dripped onto her legs.

She was only dimly aware of the other mechs gathering around her, even the Decepticons watched as Cameron grieved for the smallest Autobot.

"Uhm…Cameron?"

Cameron held Slider tighter, unwilling to let go of her grief.

"Cameron…Cameron?" There was a light tapping on her shoulder. "You're choking me."

Rearing back slightly Cameron watched in happy amazement as two little blue lights stared up at her.

"You're alive. Slider, you're alive! Are you okay?" She shifted the little femme into her lap.

"Owie…I hurt everywhere."

Cameron searched the small group above her for a face. "Ratchet! She's alive."

The medic appeared infront of her, his face reflected both concern and relief. "Both of you are in need of medical attention. Cameron come with me, you have endured extensive damage."

Cameron shook her head. "I'll be fine in a few minutes. Slider needs you now."

Ratchet looked at her doubtfully but still took Slider out of her hands.

With Jazz's help Cameron was back on her feet. Clutching the silver hand, she looked over the three remaining Decepticons.

Scorponok was hunched, practically lying on the ground. His body language screamed surrender and begged for mercy.

Barricade watched her guardedly. His posture was stiff, but that could have been because Ironhide's pulse cannon was aimed at his head.

Frenzy, curiously, seemed to have his attention divided between Cameron and Ratchet…or at least what Ratchet had in his hands. Cameron stored that information away.

"If you haven't figured it out by now, the Allspark is a part of me. That said, I am weak and it will be you who restores my strength."

Scorponok's claw moved forward. "Not you Companion, your payment will be paid later. Barricade will donate his energy to renew me."

The mech in question looked uneasy but knelt before her. "My apologies Allspark. I did not know."

"Frenzy didn't tell you?" Cameron cast a glance at the little mech.

"He guessed, but I was not sure."

"Well you are now." Cameron placed her hand on Barricade's arm and let the energy flow through her.

* * *

Optimus Prime watched with trepidation as Cameron touched the Decepticon. He was waiting for one of the three to attack. They didn't, instead they moved aside and watched. 

Prime was astonished as he observed the Allspark's power emanating from Cameron's fragile looking body.

Slowly the blood stopped running down her face, the gashes along her body became pale scars and the burns that covered most of her legs healed.

Prime felt his spark lurch with sympathy as new pink skin replaced the charred red mess. In places where Cameron's clothes had melted onto her body, the new skin caused the scraps of material to fall to her feet.

The entire process took no more than seven or eight minutes, but it felt like an age as Optimus waited for Cameron to look more like she had over a week ago.

As her body returned to it's former health, Prime knew that she would carry the scars of today forever. Everyone remembered the first time they killed.

Cameron stepped away from Barricade and thanked him. Optimus immediately moved to a more protective position; standing over Cameron.

"Let them go Optimus."

He remained silent. Letting the Decepticons go was not an option, they had to be punished for their actions.

"Optimus, they didn't hurt me."

"They didn't help you either."

"On the contrary, Scorponok and Frenzy kept me alive and Barricade brought you here." Cameron's hand landed on his foot.

Optimus heard Ironhide growling next to him. He was right. "They still have to answer for their crimes during the war."

"I agree. But killing them will not teach them a lesson. Their punishment must speak to all Decepticons."

Optimus looked down at her. What she said was true, if these Decepticons were used as an example maybe the others wouldn't be too hasty to retaliate.

"Do you have a suggestion?"

A smile climbed up Cameron's cheeks. "Their punishment will start now and continue until we are ready to leave. Then they will join us when we go to Cybertron."

"Cybertron?" Barricade breathed.

"Surely that is more of a reward than a punishment." Optimus said.

"Not at all, while we wait they will be helping the humans with whatever needs their talents."

"Helping the h-humans?" Frenzy sputtered.

"Yes, and if you're good." Cameron leaned into Frenzy. Optimus couldn't hear what she said but the reaction Frenzy gave her proved that it was of an embarrassing nature.

"I d-don't know what you're t-talking about." The silver Decepticon scurried up to Barricade's shoulder. Cameron laughed and moved back to lean against Optimus' ankle.

Optimus looked into Barricade's face. "Do you agree?"

"Do we have another option?"

"I could kill you now." Ironhide snarled, his cannons whirred dangerously.

The Decepticon was quiet for a moment. "Agreed. Whatever the humans wish." Frenzy mumbled quietly while Scorponok remained silent.

"If you break this agreement, we will destroy you." Optimus promised.

"Don't forget, I can find you. It doesn't matter where you are in the world, I can find you." Cameron taunted from the ground.

"If the humans don't want you, you'll come straight to us. Understood?"

Barricade nodded curtly before transforming and driving away.

Optimus ran a hand over his face. Had he just freed the Decepticons? He made a metal note to have Ratchet check and make sure his logic circuits were not broken.

"Good work Prime." Cameron said from his ankle.

Optimus smiled at the little human. She was the reason that the Decepticons had just disappeared over the hill. She was also the reason why they would be returning home.

* * *

Cameron felt pride fill her heart as she watched Barricade and Frenzy drive off. In his spark she had felt his anger at Starscream as well as his dream for independence. If she could manage to get him to start doing some good deeds, she might be able to make an Autobot out of him. Then again that idea was quite far-fetched. 

A soft chirping sound caught her attention. Scorponok was still crouched on the ground near the barn. Jazz and Bumblebee had their weapons trained on him, Ironhide stood next to Optimus. Apparently a Companion wasn't a good enough reason to pull out his cannons.

It took only a few steps to bring Cameron face-to-face with the brown Decepticon. He shuffled nervously but remained silent.

Cameron spoke in a low voice. "Scorponok. You stabbed me; if you had punctured the other side of my body I would be dead…maybe. Do you want my forgiveness?"

The broad head bobbed up and down.

"Well then, you had better prove to me that you are capable of doing something other than killing people. I want you to go to the Autobot base and wait for me there. We'll discuss your punishment when I arrive. All right?"

He nodded again and burrowed into the ground before any of the Autobots could fire.

"Cameron? What just happened?" Bumblebee asked, pointing him gun at the ground.

Cameron smiled. "He went home."

She received strange looks from all the Autobots. Optimus was about to say something when,

"Cameron!"

She turned to see Slider limping towards her. Happiness threatened to spill out of Cameron as she ran forward and picked the little femme up. Slider leaned back in her hands.

"You look like shit."

Cameron laughed. "You're not looking too good either."

There was a small sound and Slider transformed in her hands. A picture appeared on the battered phone. Cameron stared at her face. It had dried blood in thin lines around her face; there was one across the bridge of her nose as well. Bloody tear tracks ran down her cheeks. She didn't want to think about what the rest of her looked like. Dirt covered what was left and Cameron was fairly sure that she would need to have a bath before she saw her parents again.

"Prime, how are my parents?"

"Extremely worried. We informed your father that we had located you."

Cameron smiled. "Thank you. I might need a bath before I see them."

Slider transformed again. "You might want to put some clothes on too."

Confused, Cameron looked down. Starscream's overheating body had burned away her pants; there was four inches of ragged material hanging from her waist. Her shirt had been reduced to practically nothing during Starscream's venting sessions; all that was left was the shoulder section, part of the sleeves and two buttons.

"I think you might be right." Cameron replied. She turned to the group. "So, who's my ride home?"

* * *

**Did anyone really think that I had killed off Slider? I wouldn't do that...I love my phone**

**The ending is kinda sucky but I had some trouble writing this one...hopefully the next will be better.**

**Let me know what you thought? ****Please review.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey!**

**Sorry for the delay but I was stuck.**

**I _would_ say that I am sorry for anyone who thought Slider had died last chapter...but I had far too much fun writing that.**

**Thank you for your reviews. and here are some replies;**

**BreezesofSpring: Yes, I am evil and it makes my life so very entertaining :)**

**soaringphoenix86: Frenzy is crushing (smiles) but I don't think much will come of it, not at the moment anyway.**

**(Long reviews make for shout outs)**

**I don't own Transformers or Spider-man**

* * *

Chapter 22 

_Three months after Starscream's death_.

Cameron stretched as she climbed out of bed. It would be another long and painful day. Long because she probably wouldn't be allowed to see the Autobots for another week. Painful because she would have to listen to another series of safety lectures from her parents before being poked and prodded by doctors at the hospital. It didn't matter how many times she told them that she was fine, they still wanted to run tests.

Cameron dressed swiftly and packed her bag for the day, she would need a lot to keep herself occupied, hospitals were boring; except when you were in the psych wing. She approached the kitchen like a secret agent, darting her eyes around every corner Cameron kept a look-out for any member of her family.

Hallway: clear. Bathroom: clear. Lounge-room: clear. Kitchen: clear…Gooooood.

Cameron only woke up this early so she could replenish the energy for her developing techno-organic organs.

Quickly pulling a small glowing cube from her handbag Cameron pushed it into a wide-mouthed cup. Keeping her senses open for any intrusion to her solitude Cameron placed both hands on the glass and concentrated.

The cube began to melt, dripping its bright pink contents into the clear glass. Cameron pulled out two more mini-cubes and did the same thing. Her cup was soon full. With a smile she made herself bacon and eggs on toast and waited for her family to wake up.

Mitch was the first to follow the smell of cooking food. Still in his Spider-man pajamas her brother rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Want some?" Cameron asked as she heard a chair scrape across the floor.

Mitch replied with an affirmative grunt. Cameron grinned and added more bacon to the pan.

"What's in the cup?"

Cameron turned to see her brother inspecting her glass of energon. She quickly picked it up off the counter. "Nothing, just some um…cordial.

"I didn't know cordial came in that color."

"Yeah it's new...it's err…" Cameron's mind raced. Her eye's caught sight of a postcard. "Pineapple and mango."

"But they're both yellow." The gleam in Mitch's eyes showed that he didn't believe her.

"Food coloring. Now if you don't shut up you're bacon will burn.

"Is there any left?"

"Nope." She smiled at his little frown.

Twenty minutes later her parents joined them. Alana took Cameron's abandoned position at the stove and Jonathan sat on Cameron's other side at the table.

"So what's happening today?" Mitch asked.

"We're taking Cameron back to the hospital. They want to run some more tests but Cameron isn't co-operating."

Her mother took the pan off the heat and joined in. "Today could you please not go running off. You've done four times now, it's embarrassing."

"Sorry Mum."

"Hey remember when she started screaming about evil monkeys and man-eating ham sandwiches." Mitch grinned as his fingers crept towards Cameron's glass.

Cameron covered a smile. They had been dragging her towards some machine that would take some kind of picture of her brain. Now Cameron didn't know if there were any changes in her brain, but she was sure that with all the activity the Allspark had been doing recently, there would be some kind of residue might have been left behind that could have been picked up by the machine.

The episode had made the hospital send her to the psych ward for a day.

"I promise not to talk about evil monkeys and ham-sandwiches." Cameron smiled and slapped the fingers that were inches from her energon.

"Ouch!" Mitch cried and pulled his hand back.

"What happened?" Their mother asked.

"Cameron slapped me."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing! All I wanted was a drink and Cameron had the last."

"Cameron let your brother have a sip."

Cameron knew she couldn't let Mitch near her energon. She had no clue what it would do to a totally organic human. So to avoid potentially harming her younger brother, Cameron skulled the half-glass of energon. The almost pure energy ran through her body, heating up systems and giving her a rush similar to adrenalin. Then she started to twitch.

First it was the hand that held the cup; she quickly put the vessel down. The twitching moved along her shoulders, down her other arm and through her body. Soon she looked like Frenzy after an all night movie-marathon and twelve pots of coffee.

Slowly she came down from the excess energy and her body returned to its normal non-twitchy state. Her family was staring at her with wide eyes.

"I'm suddenly not thirsty." Mitch said and attacked his breakfast.

* * *

The ride to the hospital was uneventful. Jazz had agreed to take Cameron and Jonathan, they argued slightly over whether or not she should be seeing Ratchet instead of a human doctor, whether or not she had been childish this morning with the drink and whether or not Slider would be joining them inside. Cameron won that argument when Slider popped out of her bag and started crawling all over her father, looking adorable as she did it. The now-phone Slider was tucked into Jonathan's inside jacket pocket. 

Cameron had a hard time explaining why she couldn't have a MRI or any x-rays. She really didn't want to know what it felt like to have her metal-enhanced bones be pulled from her body by the magnetic forces. Cameron didn't know whether or not an x-ray would show that her bones were metallic, and she didn't want to test it either. She had given them an excuse about being terrified of enclosed spaces; she would still have to have an x-ray later.

Her current harasser, an intern, was drawing blood while she sat on an examination bed, her father stood in the corner with Slider peeking out from inside his jacket. Cameron kept a sharp eye on Doctor Jamie Watson as he held the needle to her skin. The man was young with light brown hair and glasses that gave him a studious air. The glasses hid a pair of bright gold eyes. Not hazel or honey but gold, like a newly minted coin.

Cameron was just beginning to get bored when both her father and Dr. Watson gasped. Jonathan moved quickly to her side and spoke quietly in the doctor's ear. Dr. Watson was staring at something in his hand, when Cameron's father stopped talking the intern held up a vial of her blood.

_So that was what had startled them_. Cameron thought as she looked at the vial. Inside her red blood was swirling with bands of bright pink. _That teaches me to drink so much energon before a blood test._

"That's surprisingly pretty." Cameron said. Usually she didn't think that red and pink went well together, but there was something strangely pretty about how the dark blood and bright pink swirled around each other.

"I've never seen anything like this before." Dr. Watson muttered.

Cameron leaned against the pillows on the bed. "I told you I should've gone to see Ratchet instead."

"You can make that decision when you turn eighteen." Her father was still upset that the Autobots had allowed his little girl to get injured so badly, her scars were still quite obvious.

Cameron did a little dance. "Two weeks, oh yeah, two weeks."

The poor intern was still staring at the blood. Cameron took pity and removed the vial from his hands. "Are you okay?"

He looked up at her and seemed to come back to his senses. "I'm fine. Are you okay? I mean blood isn't supposed to be pink…have you been examined properly?"

"I think so."

"Could you take off your jumper please?"

Cameron shot her father an amused glance before taking off her hoodie.

Dr. Watson was now holding her chart in his hands. "It says here that you are in remission for breast cancer."

"Remission…yeah." Cameron nodded slowly. She couldn't exactly say that a giant robot stabbed her with a life-giving piece of metal, curing her of cancer, and she was now extremely powerful. They'd send her to the psych ward for a long time instead of just a day.

"We'll have to do some tests."

"Look, could we do this some other time. I'm kind of in a hurry." The sooner she got the blood to Ratchet the better.

Dr. Watson looked at her suspiciously but continued the exam. His eyes roved down to the scars along her neck, chest and arms. "Have you suffered any injuries recently?"

"No." She lied.

"Miss, I know you're lying. These scars look like they're only six months old."  
_Six months. Wow I heal twice as fast as everyone else._ "I did not suffer any injuries six months ago." _Six months ago I didn't know the Autobots._

"Well then, when did you get these scars?"

Cameron looked at the intern with frustration before turning to her father. "Dad, this is a waste of time. Can we take this to Ratchet instead? He won't ask useless questions." Cameron had the vial of blood in her hand still.

Jonathan didn't look impressed but he nodded all the same. "I'm sorry for wasting your time doctor."

"Wait! You can't just leave with hospital property."

Cameron held the vial up. "Do you really want to try and explain this to your superiors?"

The young man stopped. "No, not really, but I would like to know what's wrong with your blood."

"There's nothing wrong with my blood." Cameron said indignantly.

"It's pink."

"And you're eyes are gold, that's not normal either." The man blushed and turned his head.

"Fine, you can go, but please don't tell anyone I let you take that blood with you."

"Done." Cameron smiled and hopped off the table.

"It was nice to meet you Doctor Watson." Jonathan said.

"Likewise." The young doctor opened the door and waited for them to leave.

&&&&&&&&&&

When the pair had left Jamie closed the door and looked into a nearby mirror. Behind the unnecessary glasses his eyes were green. His contact lenses hadn't moved.

_How did that girl know that his eyes were gold?_

Pushing the strange girl with her weird blood out of his mind Dr. Jamie Watson went back to his duties. If he was meant to know anything, it would be made apparent in time.

* * *

Jazz and Cameron dropped Jonathan at the house before heading to the Autobot base. Her father had only allowed Cameron to leave after he made both her and Jazz promise to give the blood sample to Ratchet to analyze. 

Cameron rolled her shoulders and stretched her neck. It felt good to be away from her family. Before she had been kidnapped by the Autobots Cameron hadn't noticed how close the atmosphere was in her house. Cameron realized that she probably noticed it more because of the size differences; the base was at least four times bigger than her house.

"Cameron! Welcome back." Ironhide called as she climbed out of Jazz.

"Hello Ironhide! Where are the others?" Cameron asked Slider scampered out of her bag and disappeared, probably in search of Scorponok.

"Ratchet's in the medbay and Optimus is meeting with some officials from the government."

"Thanks 'Hide. Jazz, I'm gonna drop the blood off with Ratchet then join you and Scorponok on the range." Cameron waved and jogged towards the lab. As she left the main hanger she heard Ironhide's cannons power up as the companion-bot appeared.

Cameron felt that Scorponok had deserved more of a reward than a punishment since he had tried to look after her while Starscream threw her around. His reward was that he would be joining them when they left for Cybertron, he would be her bodyguard in case she needed one. His challenge though was to get the Autobots to trust him. But by the way Ironhide readied his weapons; Cameron figured that day was a long way off.

Jazz on the other hand had demanded that he be held responsible for what had happened to her. It didn't matter how much Cameron tried to tell him that Barricade would have attacked and possibly killed him, the Pontiac had brought out the most stubborn attitude he had. So Cameron had made him Scorponok's guide.

Cameron was secretly laughing when she thought of Jazz trying to help the scorpion break his Decepticons habits and learn some manners.

The med bay was locked when Cameron arrived. Uncertain of why Ratchet would lock himself inside his medbay, Cameron knocked hesitantly.

A frustrated groan came through the door. "I told you not to disturb me unless you're close to deactivation."

"Ratch it's me. I've got something for you." She called.

The thick metal slid aside, Ratchet looked up and down the corridor before ushering her inside and locking it again. "Your father let you out I see."

"Yeah, more out of necessity than anything else. Why was the door locked?"

"Ironhide and Scorponok have been getting into fights, and I won't be fixing them unless it's critical."

"Fights! Why?" Cameron had thought Scorponok was fitting in okay, Jazz had never said anything about fights.

"Don't worry Cameron; they're not doing anything too dangerous. Ironhide just likes to take pot-shots at him and then Scorponok retaliates by trying to take off 'Hide's leg. It's really just like how sparklings play." Ratchet lifted her onto his workbench. "It merely shows how immature some of out kind can be. Now what is it you brought me?"

Comforted by Ratchet's dismissive attitude, Cameron pulled the blood sample out of her bag. The red and pink still swirled together lazily. "I was at the hospital earlier. Should I be worried?"

The medic took the small vial and moved to one of his complicated machines. Cameron fidgeted when he didn't say anything for a while. Ratchet was the only doctor Cameron got nervous around. It didn't make sense to Cameron, so she ignored it.

"Optimus should have made you stay here instead of taking you directly to your parents." His irritated tone made Cameron look up.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"How much energon have you consumed today?"

"Three little cubes."

He sighed. "Your body isn't fully capable of processing energon yet, and although it doesn't seem to have any outward effects, it is accelerating the changes of your internal systems."

"Say again?" Cameron stared up at Ratchet with growing apprehension.

A red light covered her for several second. Familiar with the bio-scan, Cameron waited for her clothes to be turned back on. Ratchet studied the data that flashed over this optics.

"I'm sure you've been aware of the changes your organs have undergone," Ratchet activated a projector on his arm, a small holographic human appeared. "Your body no longer has any fully organic components. Every cell within your body has a techno-organic base."

"How will that change me?"

"Hopefully not much at all but I would suggest that you avoid consuming any more energon, unless you want your family to realize that you are no longer completely human."

"Tapping into the Allspark's power would be a bad idea too, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, it would be best if you restrained from doing anything that would accelerate the rate at which your body is changing."

"Thanks Ratchet, I'll tell Dad the news." Cameron climbed off the bench and waited for Ratchet to open the door again.

"If you need anything, just ask."

Cameron smiled. "Will do. See ya later."

Waving goodbye Cameron moved away from the medbay. It was too bad that she would have to stop drinking energon, she was really beginning to enjoy the taste.

A hard bang and a scuffling sound brought Cameron to the door of the main hanger. Ironhide and Scorponok were facing each other with Jazz and Slider off to one side. Ironhide's pulse cannon was smoking and aimed directly at Scorponok's head, while the smaller mech's tail was arched over his back ready to strike. There was a scorch mark on the cement floor.

"What the hell!?" Cameron yelled. All four heads turned to her. "I'm gone for ten minutes and you start fighting?"

Scorponok chirped happily and scuttled over to her. Cameron was soon being embraced by Scorponok's claws with his head rubbing against her stomach, chattering away in its electronic language; it was more like an intelligent cat than anything else. The deadly tail was lowered and relaxed.

"No, I will not take you out for games. Why were you fighting with Ironhide?"

Scorponok clicked and beeped.

"Ironhide, he said it was your fault."

"Lying little fragger!" Ironhide declared forcefully.

"Then tell me what really happened?" Cameron felt like a mother with a pair of trouble kids.

"He touched my cannons."

"So you shot him?"

"Only a little."

Cameron sighed. They were behaving just like children, just like Ratchet had said.

"Okay, here's the new rules; Ironhide, no shooting Scorponok. Scorponok; Ironhide doesn't like to play, Jazz does so harass him instead."

Scorponok nodded and Ironhide grumbled. Pleased that the two would hopefully get along better now Cameron hugged the scorpion's head and pushed out of the embrace. Scorponok chirped and lunged for Jazz, before the silver mech could be taken down a little red streak leapt from its shoulder.

"Is it safe for them to wrestle like that?" Slider asked from her new position on top of Cameron's head.

"I'm sure they won't suffer anything worse than some dents and scratched paint." Cameron replied. "Maybe I should warn Ratchet just in case." She turned back to the hallway to see a squad of black-suited men in shades with guns aimed at her. "Hi."

"Miss, put the robot down and we will escort you off the premises." A black-suited man said.

"What?" Came Cameron's intelligent answer.

The men started to move forward as a pack, guns still up. "Miss. Please step away from the robot."

Cameron looked up towards Slider, smothering her laughter she said. "I have to away from you."

"I'd like to see you try." Slider replied.

"Miss, if you don't move away from the robot now, we will use force." Suit-guy said.

"You can try." Cameron retorted smugly. With a silent command she sent Slider away.

The men rushed forward. Hands closed over her arms and gun muzzles stared into her face. Cameron grinned evilly, focusing on the Allspark, she let out a wave of energy. The men were flung backwards, except for one who had a tenacious grip on her arm.

"Slag it Cameron! I told you not to." Ratchet's voice could be heard from the medbay

"What was that?" A voice said from the side. Twisting her head, Cameron saw a group of men standing with Optimus Prime.

"That was our medical officer Ratchet." Optimus replied.

"No, I mean the girl."

Prime's answer was interrupted by a very angry Ratchet. The medic practically had flames shooting from his optics, without saying a word he scooped Cameron into his hands, shook off the clinging agent, and marched back to his lab.

Optimus looked back at the government member. "She is the reason we need to leave."

Adrian Lores stared after the robot. The Vice-President had a lot of explaining to do.

* * *

**There we go. Did you like it?**

**Please review and let me know**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hi, I'm back.**

**Sorry for the wait, we had a blackout and my computer crashed. I am currently in love with recovery files. They saved my work.**

**I have noticed that I've been a little harsh to Cameron...but then again if you can't blow up your own character where's the fun in having them :)**

**Thank you to everyone who reviews. I still appriciate those who don't, but I'd like it better if you did :) All right now, time for shout outs:**

**StarSwoop:** I would love for Cameron to make a new transformer. Please if you have some ideas of what you would like to see, let me know and I'll try really hard to put something together.

**soaringphoenix86:** hehehe. All your questions gave me heaps of ideas, thank you so much. Umm...I can't tell you anything about Golden Eyes but his story will come out later. The government guys were just body guards who cameron took by surprise, nothing really special about them. Sorry. Adrian Lores is head of a research team.

**BreezesofSpring:** I don't think Cameron will be able to stop from using the Allspark. It's like the toy that your older sibling has, you shouldn't play with it but you want to anyway. You're on the right track with the unorganics...the changes get fairly obivious in this chapter. Jamie is...part of the future, he'll come back before the end.

**I do not own Transformers or Age of Empires

* * *

**

**Chapter 23**

"Ratchet, I'm fine, seriously." Cameron said as another medical beam passed over her.

"I warned you Cameron, not to use the Allspark, but like all the others you ignored me." The medic growled and stalked around the lab.

Cameron stared as Ratchet picked up various tools and placed them on the table next to her. Some of the instruments were bigger than she was.

"Ratchet, you're worrying like an old hen. Chill out."

He pinned her with a hard stare. "Have you noticed what's happened already?"

"Yeah. I saw the projection."

Ratchet sighed. "It has become a little more visible since your display infront of the humans. Look at your hands."

Cameron did as ordered and studied her hands, a breath escaped her when she saw the discoloration on her nails. What had been regular nail now shone with a metallic gleam. She drummed her fingers against the table, they clanged dully.

"Are my nails made of metal?"

"I would say that is an accurate deduction, if a little short sighted." Ratchet muttered.

Cameron looked at her new nails closely, they had the same shape and feel of her original nails but they were now a soft silver color, as though she was wearing polish.

"It looks silver."

"Its molecular structure agrees with you."

Cameron looked at Ratchet with wide eyes. "Are you telling me that I have a precious metal sticking out of my fingers?"

"The Allspark has affected a bit more than just your fingernails."

"What d'ya mean?"

Ratchet dipped from her sight before returning with a mirror half the size of his hand. Cameron stared. Ratchet had been right, it wasn't just her hands that had been altered, it was her whole body. Her very skin seemed to have a soft metallic sheen.

"What's happened to me Ratchet?" Cameron whispered.

"From what I can tell, the Allspark is finished with your internal systems and has begun transforming your external ones."

"Does that mean there is nothing human left inside me?"

Ratchet removed the mirror and placed a comforting hand around her. "Your body still retains the basic components of humanity but the energy of the Cube has altered as much of you as possible without…remolding you."

"Could I have stopped this from happening?" Cameron's eyes were pleading.

"I don't think so. I'm not an expert on the Allspark and its power, you'll have to wait until we return home for more answers, but I suspect that your body would have succumbed to the Allspark eventually. If you had not accessed its power at all, you may have remained mostly human for several more years. On the other hand, if you had been in contact with the Allspark everyday, it's safe to assume that you would have undergone these changes far earlier."  
"So this was inevitable." Cameron concluded.

"That is my belief, yes."

"I don't suppose there is anyway to reverse it is?"

"None that I am aware of."

Cameron nodded and smiled. "Well you are the expert there…but why silver?"

A perplexed expression passed over Ratchet's face. "I am unsure. Silver could have been chosen because it has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any earthen metal, and there are electrical currents running through you."

"Is there silver on Cybertron?"

Ratchet shook his head. "Not in any way that's related to Earthen silver." He frowned thoughtfully. "Unless the molecular structure could be altered in some way…" He turned away and started tapping at a console. "This is more of a Wheeljack subject. He'd be able to tell you in an instant."

"Who's Wheeljack?"

"A colleague of mine on Cybertron. He invents things, usually they blow up…sometimes he does too."

Cameron laughed. "He sounds like fun."

"Only if you're not within the blast radius." Ratchet commented dryly.

He then ushered her out with a promise to find her when he came up with an answer.

* * *

Adrian Lores couldn't believe what he was hearing. The Vice-President had warned him about the twenty-foot robots and that watching them turn into cars was astounding, but nothing had been said about teenage girls with supernatural powers. 

"How is this possible?" Lores asked the robot leader.

"Her body melded with a powerful source of energy. Our medical officer would be able to give you a more precise answer." Optimus Prime answered.

"Is this common?"

"Not at all. This is a unique occurrence."

Adrian nodded. The situation could be downplayed if it wasn't going to happen again.

He watched as his men administered first-aid for minor burns and cuts. Even though he was embarrassed that his guards had been beaten by a teenager, he was very impressed with the power the girl wielded.

"I originally came to speak to you about the agents you sent to aid in advancing our technological research."

"We should wait for Cameron before we discuss Barricade and Frenzy; she is in control of their fates." Prime said with finality.

Adrian looked up at the imposing machine. He didn't understand how such an intimidating figure could hand over power and control to something he could squash under his foot. It would be like Adrian handing over his job to a spider.

* * *

Cameron was inspecting her arm as she headed back to the main hanger. It really did shimmer in the light; meaning it would be very hard to hide from her family. Pushing that problem to the back of her mind, Cameron hoped that Ironhide and Scorponok were behaving. 

A sudden explosion told her that they were back to their old games.

Picking up her pace Cameron hurried towards the sound, mentally promising punishment to all involved parties for disobeying her rules.

Rounding a corner she almost ran into Scorponok's aft. Stopping quickly, she avoided bashing into the machine. Suddenly Scorponok lunged to the side, leaving Cameron facing a very irate looking Ironhide…and a rapidly advancing plasma shot.

Cameron's and Ironhide's expression became similar as they both realized that the blast would hit Cameron.

With a prayer Cameron moved as fast as possible out of the way...but it was still too late.

The plasma ball hit along her right side, from her shoulder to her feet. Material burned away as flesh was scorched and warped.

Cameron opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. Pain lanced up her side. It hurt worse than when Starscream had thrown her against a wall and she had landed on a pile of farming equipment.

As the pain receded Cameron groaned. It might have been a warning of revenge but she wasn't really sure. The world shifted and Cameron realized that she was being propped up by something, looking to her left she saw a silver finger; Jazz.

Slowly she became aware of the figures around her; Ironhide and Scorponok crouched infront of her, their faces scared. Cameron could feel Slider touching her right arm. She didn't want to look at it yet, not until the Allspark healed it.

"Ow…that _really_ hurt." Cameron muttered as she glared at the two machines infront of her.

"Cam, are you all right?" Jazz asked from above her.

"I just got shot by Ironhide's cannon. I don't think anyone is all right after an experience like that. And when I'm healed, I'm gonna enjoy kicking your afts."

"Cam, what's happened to you?" Slider asked picking up her right arm.

"What?" Cameron twisted her head. "Oh my Go-"

She stared at what had been her arm. Instead of skin there was a tarnished metallic coating. Raising her limb high, Cameron saw that the silver was no longer confined to her nails but had traveled all the way up her arm.

She looked up into Jazz's face while with the fingers of her left hand Cameron followed the smooth metal until it touched skin at the base of her neck. Heart pounding in her chest, Cameron tracked the skin/metal edge as it traveled under her collarbone, down the middle of her chest, down her stomach, over her right hip. It stopped there. Running hand over her thigh Cameron realized that it encompassed her entire right leg.

She stood with Jazz's help. Looking down she saw that what her fingers had told her was true; the entire right side of her body was now dull metal.

She also needed new clothes. The blast had burned away her t-shirt and jeans, leaving her half naked – vertically.

"Slider could you run to my old rooms and get me something to wear?" Cameron asked shakily. The little 'bot nodded and disappeared.

Pulling what was left of her pants over her crotch Cameron tried to regain some modesty. She probably should try and cover her chest, but nothing was really on show. Her shirt hung properly over her still human breast and the metal one looked like a mannequins'.

Cameron was relatively calm by the time Slider returned with a short skirt and singlet top.

"Is that all that's left here?" Cameron asked as she eyed the skirt she really didn't like. There was nothing wrong with it really, but Cameron just didn't like how short it was.

Slider nodded and shrugged. "Everything else is at home."

"Fine." Cameron quickly crawled into the clothes. She had just pulled the top over her head when Ratchet arrived. She heard him before she saw him due to the ring of mechs around her.

"Cameron! You have to stay away from dense…oh dear." Ratchet trailed off as he breached the ring.

"That was my reaction too." Cameron nodded.

"What happened?"

"Ironhide and Scorponok were playing again and I caught a stray shot." She glared at them.

"It wasn't stray, if the slagger had stayed still it would have hit." Ironhide grumbled.

A wrench appeared in Ratchet hand and Ironhide was soon rubbing at the brand new dent on his head. Refocusing, Ratchet scanned Cameron. The data that played over his optics confirmed the theory he had come to tell Cameron about.

"Cameron the metal that now covers your body is no longer silver."

"I thought it was. I mean you said that was what my nails had turned into." She lifted up her left hand which still shimmered.

"No. The silver was only a transitory state. It would have eventually changed into what covers your right side now. I expect that the high heat of Ironhide's plasma shot accelerated the conversion between Earth silver and a Cybertronian alloy."

Cameron nodded, trying to absorb everything and make sense of it.

The clamor of multiple footsteps alerted them to the arrival of Optimus and some humans. Hiding behind Jazz's leg, Cameron peeked at the men. It was the agents she had sent flying earlier, they looked a little bruised, a couple of them sported bandages but other than that they were okay. Cameron directed her attention to the important looking man in the middle. He was tall and balding, he wore a navy blue suit, white shirt and pale blue tie.

"Cameron." Prime called.

Cameron pulled her head back behind Jazz's leg.

"I did see you Cameron."

She cringed and leaned out so that only her left side was visible. "Hi Prime, and others."

The black-suited agents tensed.

"Cameron, Mr. Lores wants to discuss Barricade and Frenzy." Optimus informed her.

"Really? Well that's lovely. Um…could you come back another time?"

Mr. Lores looked affronted and Prime shot her a warning look.

"I agree, Cameron is due for some very serious tests that can't be delayed." Ratchet said behind her.

Cameron made a mental note to thank him later.

Optimus however, wasn't co-operating. "Whatever tests need to be done can wait."

Cameron looked at her guards. "Well boys, looks like I'm going out. Wish me luck."

"You're being a little over-dramatic aren't you?" Ratchet commented.

"Quiet, you're ruining my entrance."

The medic just rolled his optics and moved away from the group.

Still hiding behind Jazz's leg, Cameron tried to tell Optimus what had happened. "Prime, there's something you should know. Something unexpected happened."

"I knew it was going to happen." Ratchet butted in.

"Shut up!"

"Cameron, what has happened?" Optimus asked.

She stepped out from her cover. With her right arm she pointed at Ironhide. "He shot me."

"I had meant to shoot Scorponok." Ironhide said in his defense.

Cameron sensed a light buzzing in the air. Optimus had spoken to 'Hide via comm.link. The black mech nodded and looked contrite. Optimus then looked at Cameron.

"Are you capable of functioning without fault?"

"Probably." Cameron strode forward. The man in the blue suit looked at her as if she was the alien instead the mech next to him. She stopped on the other side of Optimus' foot and faced the official. "So what have they done that brought you here?"

The man gaped for a few moments before stammering. "I-is there s-somewhere we talk privately."

Cameron threw a glance over her shoulder. Ironhide was scowling at Scorponok, Ratchet and Jazz stood between them and Scorponok was nuzzling up to Jazz's hip. Stifling a giggle, Cameron led them to the other end of the hall where her dining table still sat.

"Can I get you a coffee or something?" She offered as he sat down.

"No thank you." He looked askance as Prime leaned down to join their conversation.

"Your guys can watch t.v. if they want to." Cameron smiled apologetically at the agents and gestured towards the large-screen t.v. They looked at her suspiciously before settling themselves onto the couch. The television stayed off.

"Miss Oakham, how did this happen?"

Cameron turned her attention back to the man. "I'm sorry, I forgot your name."

"Adrian Lores."

"Mr. Lores, it's a rather long story that would take more time than you're allowed."

Lores nodded slowly. "All right then, I came to discuss the two representatives that are working with our research team."

"Are they cooperating?"

"Yes, although it is with definite reluctance."

Cameron frown. "I'll have to teach them some manners…Was there something specific that you wanted to talk about?"

"The development of a space shuttle to transport the…" Lores looked like he was searching for a word.

Cameron helped out. "Cybertronians."

"Yes. We cannot create a shuttle large enough to accommodate them all."

"Why is that?"

"They're too big." He said bluntly.

Optimus leaned closer. "We do not require inter-galactic transport. Our bodies are equipped to travel through outer space. We merely need adequate propulsion."

Adrian Lores looked both relieved and confused. "How much propulsion?"

Data flashed over Optimus' optics. "Twice the amount that sent the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit around this planet."

Lores eyes bugged out of his head. He started muttering lowly before standing suddenly. "Please excuse me. I must return, your agents are no longer necessary, they will be returned to you." He nodded a farewell and walked away, his men following.

"Wait! You are still going to help us, aren't you?" Cameron called.

Lores stopped and looked back at her. "I will send a team of researchers here to make some estimations on whether or not we can assist you."

Cameron just stared as the tall man left the building. He hadn't answered her question. Cybertron was suddenly looking even further away than it had before.

Optimus straightened next to her. "Your government is not being very cooperative."

"Yeah, I noticed…at least we'll have Barricade and Frenzy back soon."

"Speaking of Decepticons." Optimus gathered Cameron into his hand and returned to the others. "Ironhide why were you attacking Scorponok?"

"He was messing with my cannons, again."

Prime sighed in sufferance. Cameron frowned. "Scorponok I made those rules for a reason. You were supposed to stop fighting with Ironhide to avoid accidents. Like this!" Cameron gestured to her now-metal right side. Scorponok chirped at her repentantly.

"What exactly happened?" Optimus asked as he studied her metal-enhanced body.

"Ratchet can explain it later. Ratchet, will this take over my whole body?"

"Yes."

"Even my head?"

"Your head is attached to your body, so I would presume it too would change."

"That means I'll look like you." She glanced at Jazz. "Damn!"

"What's wrong with me?" Jazz asked indignantly.

"You're right; I could've turned out like Ironhide."

"Hey!" Jazz snickered as the large black mech scowled and crossed his arms.

"Ratch can you explain things to Optimus, I'm going to find Slider." Cameron climbed down Prime's leg and started the hunt for her friend.

She found the little 'bot in the communications room. Scaling to the top of the tall desks she saw Slider sitting at one of the smaller monitors playing a game.

"Hey, watcha playing?"

"Age of Empires. How are you feeling?" Slider paused the game and looked at her.

"Metallic." Cameron thumped down next to her.

A small smile appeared on the little face. "So who were the suits?"

"Some guy from the place I sent 'Cade and Frenzy. They'll be coming back soon." Cameron watched as Slider's hand clenched. It was the only sign she gave. Cameron continued casually, facing the room. "You know, Frenzy surprised me. Just after I…disabled Starscream, I saw him hovering over you. He seemed really concerned." She covertly watched Slider. The little blue optics widened and a smile grew. "So, is there anything you want to tell me?"

Slider's gaze flew to her face. "N-No."

Cameron rolled her eyes and grunted incredulously.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Slider said unconvincingly.

"Sure, I only imagined that you looked really exited when I said his name." Slider smiled at her guiltily. Cameron gathered the red femme in her arms. "I don't mind if you like him. He may turn out to be a good guy, but don't get your hopes up. He is still a Decepticon and habits are hard to break."

"But Scorponok has adjusted well."

"Scorponok is a Companion. They share the opinions of their Partners, and since he doesn't have a Partner anymore he's been able to make his own judgments on the world." Cameron hugged Slider tighter. "Frenzy still has Barricade and will probably be unwilling to change everything he has ever known. But don't worry, we'll overwhelm them with friendliness and their resistance will crumble."

Slider smiled and Cameron held her closer.

"What are you going to do now that you're half metal?" Slider asked as the silence stretched.

Cameron sighed. "I'll call Dad, tell him I'll be home late and to wait up for me alone. After I explain things to him, I'll pack my bags and leave home. I'll move back in here."

"Your Mother won't be happy."

Cameron nodded sadly. "I'll make sure I say goodbye when we're ready to leave. She'll survive, especially if I call every other night."

"Jazz won't be happy."

Cameron laughed. "No doubt, he won't like it at all that I'm taking him away from Bumblebee. They'll have plenty of time when we get to Cybertron."

"We're still going?"

"Of course." Cameron gazed down into her cute face. "I have to make it better again."

* * *

**There we go.**

**_Pop-Quiz: Whoever guesses the name of my cat gets a cookie._**

**Only a few more left and it's over...I think. **

**If there is anything you want me to add I might be able to make it go longer, if you would like it to.**

**Please review... you're opinions are important to me.**

**TammyCat**


	24. Chapter 24

**Hello all,**

**Sorry it's taken me a while to post this but I have recently aquired a job and it's eating hard into my writing time. I'm working a twelve hour day. So I'm going to try and put something together while I sit on the train in the morning. **

**Thank you for your reviews, they light up my day :) ****Shout outs!**

**StarSwoop:** lol. I would love to have a cat called that. Maybe my next one. Cam and Ratchet, that's interesting. I love the fridge idea! That's hilarious. I had a mental image of my fridge growing a face and complaining about all the magnets on it.

**soaringphoenix86**: Yes, the pile will hit the fan soon. Cam isn't going to get her revenge for her new look just yet but something may happen later.

**BreezesofSpring**: A sequal would be fun but I don't know if many people would want to see one. I am working on a new story. I'll let you know when it's up :)

**The Transdresser: **Thank you! It's a pleasure to write for people who appriciate it.

**All right folks. This may be it for a week or so. So please enjoy it, I'll try to work on the next parts during my travelling.**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 24**

The meeting with her father didn't go quite as Cameron had planned. He was extremely reluctant to let her leave and not come back. That was until she pulled off the jacket Mikaela had brought her. She had also let Cameron borrow some jeans, now her silvery leg was covered too.

In the dim light of the kitchen her arm glowed a warm gold. Her father had been shocked when he had seen it and demanded an explanation.

"Dad I can't right now, Bee and Jazz are outside, they're going to help me move."

Jonathan scowled.

"Please Dad. You know I can't stay here, not looking like this."

"Say goodbye to your mother." Jonathan said with a sigh.

Cameron nodded and hurried up the stairs.

She rushed around her room shoving clothes and essentials into whatever bag she could find. When a large suitcase and several shoulder bags were packed, Cameron started collecting the trinkets she couldn't leave behind. Framed pictures of her family and friends, childhood mementos and the plush toy that had seen her through her saddest moments.

When everything important was packed carefully into another bag, she pushed the repaired window open. Outside a bipedal Jazz was stroking Bumblebee's roof. The camaro's engine was purring softly.

"Guys! Let's go!" Cameron whisper-yelled.

Jazz sauntered over to the window and caught the first bag. In five minutes they had Bumblebee's boot full. Jazz returned to his car form and waited. Cameron grabbed the bag full of memories and closed the door of her room for the last time.

Moving silently across the landing Cameron was about to descend the stairs when,

"Cam?"

Her head whipped to the side. "Hey Mitch, what are you doing awake?" She shoved her right hand into her jacket pocket.

"Are you leaving again?"

Cameron's heart clenched at the confusion in his eyes. "Yeah, but don't worry, I'll see you again before I go too far."

The pre-teen nodded but still looked confused. "Does this have anything to do with what happened when you disappeared for a week?"

"No, that's over. This is something that can't be helped…Come here." Cameron held out her left arm and held her brother close. "It may be a couple of months before I see you again but I will be back. I promise…Now go back to bed." She released him and pushed him lightly towards his bedroom. Cameron continued down the stairs only after Mitch's door was closed. Now it was time for Mum.

Her parents' bedroom was on the bottom floor, on the east side of the house. The lights were off but Cameron could still see perfectly well. Her mother was asleep, Cameron sat beside on the mattress, with her left hand she gently shook her awake.

"Mum, Mum I'm going now."

Alana groaned and opened her eyes. "Hmm?"

"I have to go. I'll call you in a couple of days, okay?"

Cameron's words must have gotten through Alana's sleep-heavy mind, the woman sat straight up and pulled Cameron close.

"Why are you leaving? You just got back."

"I'm sorry. My friends in New York need my help. I promised."

"When will you be home?"

_Never_. "It might take a few months. Don't worry I will see you again."

Alana pulled away from her and looked into her face. "Just remember that I love you. And I'm here if you need me."

Cameron almost broke down when she saw the tears in her mother's eyes.

"I know, I love you too." She kissed Alana's forehead and escaped the room.

Jonathan was still in the kitchen when Cameron returned. Stray tears slipped over her cheeks as he wrapped his arms around her. Pulling her right hand out of her pocket she returned the hug.

Several moments passed before Cameron pulled away and adjusted the strap on her shoulder. "I'll see you soon yeah?"

"Of course." Jonathan ruffled her hair and smiled sadly. "Probably in a few days."

Cameron nodded and left her home. Jazz and Bee were waiting on the side of the road. Easing into Jazz's passenger seat, Cameron waited until they were a block away before crying.

* * *

"Hey Mikaela, Cam. Check this out." Sam said as he turned up the volume on the television.

The girls abandoned their food preparation to join Sam on the couch.

A news helicopter chased a line of police cars as they flew down a highway. Each car had its lights on, except for the car in the lead. The reporter was shouting over the top of the noise. _'The high-speed chase was been going for over half an hour. No comment has been made on where the cavalcade is headed. Police Sergeant Bentley is part of the chase; he says so far no contact can be made with the lead car.'_

The three humans looked at each other.

"I'm gonna take a guess and say that there is a boom-box in that front car." Cameron said as a close up of the leading cruiser appeared.

* * *

Inside the police car Frenzy clicked excitedly as the column of human cars followed them. Stuck helping the humans had rubbed sorely against Barricade and Frenzy's pride. They were now enjoying harassing the meat-sacks in a non-fatal fashion. Frenzy could hear them shouting angrily from the little radio on Barricade's dashboard.

"This is the most fun we've had in months." Barricade commented as they swerved through traffic.

"T-true. But n-now we have t-to present ourselves to the human A-allspark."

His partner grumbled slightly. "At least we are returning to Cybertron."

"Soundwave will want to know what happened here."

"As will Shockwave. They will fight for the leadership of the Decepticons."

"Who are we going to support?"

Frenzy waited tensely for his partner to respond. This was the one area where Frenzy had his own opinion, and if Barricade didn't share it their partnership would become uncomfortable.

"Soundwave." Barricade answered decisively. "He is more rational and may allow us a high position in his new army."

Frenzy smirked happily and rested comfortably on Barricade's front seat. They would continue leading the humans on a fruitless chase until dark, then they would find a city and lose them. From there it should take them only a few hours to reach Scorponok's signal and the Autobots."

* * *

Cameron was waiting in the kitchen when the Decepticon duo arrived. The scream of sirens drew her away from the steaming kettle.

She found Barricade and Frenzy under the guarded optics of Prime and Ratchet. Slider perched on the dinning table with her tiny gun as well.

Suppressing a smile Cameron approached the pair.

"I see you made it through your high-speed chase without a ticket…That wasn't necessary Barricade." She said sternly. "If you'd been caught the repercussions would have been unthinkable."

"I was not in danger of being captured by the humans." Barricade replied with arrogant pride.

Cameron narrowed her eyes and sent a spike of energy at him. He stiffened and shuddered. "Learn your place Barricade. If you step over the lines you will be punished. That goes for you too Frenzy."

The small silver mech saluted her and chattered nervously.

"Other than that. Welcome to Autobot headquarters." She smiled at then and returned to the kitchen with Slider trailing her. Something clicked in the back of her mind and she poked her head back into the main hall.

"Frenzy! I'm going to need your help later."

His bright optics widened and Cameron went back to her cooking.

* * *

Cameron spent the rest of the day organizing her quarters. She had been there for several days but she hadn't had the emotional strength to unpack. Looking at the pile of clothes and trinkets that she was now putting away, Cameron solidified the fact that her life would never be anything resembling normal ever again.

The last picture frame that she positioned on a bookshelf was of her and her friends at the beach during Christmas back in Australia. With bittersweet tears running down her cheeks she smiled at the happy faces and let herself remember what life was like back when she had still been normal.

Her metal hand stroked the wooden frame lightly before she turned away. Her memories of home and family would have to remain just that, thoughts of the past. She could never go back to those times, and a part of her didn't want to. Back then she hadn't known the Autobots and her only future was one in a hospital bed.

Stretching the ache out of her muscles Cameron moved away from her painful thoughts and focused on the future she did have; a whole new planet to explore and hundreds of new beings to meet. It was a world away from anything she had ever dreamed of.

With one last glance over her room Cameron escaped to the main hangar. Optimus Prime and Ratchet sat watching a sleeping Barricade while Frenzy discussed something with Scorponok in a corner. Slider sat a computer playing games again, she made little chirping noises whenever something good happened.

Each time she emitted the cute sounds Frenzy would stiffen. Cameron smiled at the obvious way he was trying to avoid her. She didn't know why but the little Decepticon was staying as far away from Slider as possible, but she would find out.

Shrugging Cameron made her way to Prime's side. He lifted her onto the metal surface.

"So Prime, do you think we can make proper Autobots out of these two?"

"I highly doubt it. They are amongst the highest Decepticon officers on Cybertron. I wouldn't surprise me if they returned straight to their headquarters when we finally make it to Cybertron."

"Aww, that's too bad. I quite like them. What about you Ratchet, reckon you could reprogram them into thinking they were Autobots?"

The medic grinned wickedly. "Autobots, no. Toasters, yes."

Cameron chuckled evilly as her mind conjured an image of Barricade with toast poking out of his gun. There was idea to use on Ironhide later.

"Optimus, did that Lores guy say when we would be seeing his people?"

"Yes, his researchers and scientists will be arriving in seven days. He has also requested that you sit for a medical exam."

"Why?"

"To see how you react to the pressures of interstellar travel."

"Oh."

"I don't see how that is necessary Prime. She wouldn't be harmed even if she was naked and alone floating through space." Ratchet said, he didn't trust anyone else to work on her.

"What?" Cameron asked. She wasn't going anywhere naked, let alone space.

A tolerant sigh came through his vents. "Your body no longer requires any of the elements that the rest of your species does. You don't even breathe anymore."

"Yes I do. Look." Cameron proceeded to take several large lungfuls of air, which then got caught and she had to wheeze until the air was no longer in her chest.

"You merely proved my point and not your own. The oxygen you just tried to intake was trapped in what used to be your lungs. The Allspark's energy has already made your lungs superfluous. We've had this discussion before."

"But then why do I still breathe?"

"Due to life-long reflexes you continue to inhale minimal amounts of oxygen. This does not affect your functioning and allows you to believe that you still retain part of your humanity."

Cameron stared at him. "Are you a psychologist as well as a doctor?"

The medic smiled slightly and directed his next comment to Optimus. "I suggest that if Mr. Lores wants a human medical practitioner on conduct tests on Cameron, the human comes here or that I accompany her to the appointment."

Optimus looked thoughtful then nodded. "Good idea, we won't leave Cameron without an escort. She is too powerful."

Cameron merely listened as they discussed plans for her. The last time decisions had been made for her, she had been stabbed in the chest by an alien fragment. Although she doubted anything so life-altering would happen again she couldn't let then take charge of her life like that.

Even if they were over ten feet taller than her and could squash her with their massive feet. Cameron took great pleasure in knowing she could harass them as much as she wanted without them claiming retribution.

She frowned and said heatedly. "Guys, I'm not having some bureaucratic doctor poke and prod me while Ratchet looks through a window like some weird giant metal peeping-tom."

Satisfied that she had made her stand clear Cameron smiled to herself. Their next comments popped Cameron's self-satisfied bubble.

"So the human will conduct their tests here?" Ratchet asked.

"Yes, I believe that would be the wisest option." Optimus replied.

Cameron scowled and crossed her arms. _So much for being the Allspark and creator of all mechanical life_. If she couldn't even get these two to listen to her, what hope did she have of gaining to the respect of anyone on Cybertron?

"Fine, but if I get stabbed again it's your own fault." Cameron groused at the two mechs. They turned to her with bemused expressions. Cameron glared and left them to join Slider at the computer.

* * *

**I'm sorry it was so short. I'll try and do better next time.**

**Please review. I love them lots :)**

**TammyCat**


	25. Chapter 25

**Hi all! I'm back.**

**Thanks for waiting! I hope I haven't lost anyone because it took so long to post this. I've had this ready for a couple of days but my internet shat itself :(**

**Anyway...Thankyou to everyone who reviewed. you kept me smiling through my first weeks at work. **

**some notes on the following piece:**

**There is some very un-frenzy-like behaviour in this chapter. I had the dialogue run through my head while I was on the train, so I apologise if it creeps you out. **

**I would like to credit StarSwoop for a bunch of ideas that have been flying around my brain while I was supposed to be concentrating on work. I acknowledge that I have been quite mean to Cameron and I would like to be...nicer. StarSwoop suggested a romance between Cameron and Ratchet, and since she brought this up little snippets of stuff have been buzzing through my head so;**

**If you want to see Cameron have a romantic fling before this ends please vote for either Ratchet, Jamie Watson or anyone else you want to see her with. This is conditional to how many vote. If not enough people review she will be alone.**

**Enjoy! It may be some time before another is posted...Sorry

* * *

**

Chapter 2**5**

Cameron patrolled the base. She was sure that she would run into either Slider or Frenzy. She needed their help if she was going to contact her mother. Mentally she berated herself for convincing her father to by a telephone that told you where the person was calling from.

On the way to a check up with Ratchet, Cameron heard explosions and the sound of guns from outside. Suppressing a sigh she followed them.

Not surprisingly Barricade and Frenzy weren't fitting in as well as Cameron had hoped they would. She had spent the last two days keeping an eye on the Decepticons and they seemed focused on wreaking havoc on the peaceful base.

Barricade was being especially troublesome since Frenzy had taken to disappearing; he seemed to find it very fun to push Ironhide's buttons until the weapons specialist was willing to rip him to pieces.

At the moment he was taunting Ironhide, who was practicing on the firing range. His dark, rough voice teasing the trigger-happy Autobot about past battles and Decepticon victories.

Cameron noticed the dangerous situation and feared that at any moment now Ironhide would change his target and blow Barricade's head off.

"Barricade I want you to remain with Jazz today. He will teach you the benefit of a tactical withdrawal." She said in an effort to diffuse the situation.

The large Decepticon frowned. "I think I will remain here."

Cameron smiled sweetly and lashed out with a whip of Allspark energy. It raked down his back, searing sensory nodes with hot power. Cameron felt the sensors react to the powerful energy spike. Barricade flinched and shuddered before glowering at her and walking off. Satisfaction simmered in Cameron's veins as the large mech sulked away.

"Ironhide, you shouldn't let him rile you. It will just put a strain on your systems and then you'd have to join me with Ratchet."

Ironhide just grumbled, muttering something about interfering Decepticons. Cameron shrugged and headed for her appointment.

* * *

Ratchet was puttering around his medbay as usual. A selection of medical tools hung perfectly from hooks on the wall while another set lay protected within a clear cabinet. Cameron wasn't sure if it was made of glass or something else that was see-through.

Cameron sauntered in just as the medic had started to pace.

He glowered at her. "You're late."

Cameron raised her hands defensively. "I had to stop 'Hide from killing Barricade. Sometimes I think that the mech wants to die, he's constantly pestering Ironhide."

"I don't see why you wanted them to remain with us instead of in custody." Ratchet grumbled.

She scowled at him. "You know full well that the only 'custody' that would hold them would be the kind that involves Sector Seven. The kind that they used on Bumblebee."

"How do you know about that?" Ratchet peered at her closely. "I didn't think Bumblebee discussed what happened within the dam. He only told me and Optimus because I am his medical officer and Prime is his leader. I know he hasn't told Jazz or Ironhide. Did Prime tell you?"

"No. The Allspark was there remember?" Cameron replied. "It could feel Bumblebee's fear, pain and anger. I know everything you have ever done or said while you were near the Cube."

The medic stared at her for a moment before picking her up and placing her on the large table. She sent Ratchet a thankful smile and started at wander over to the instruments on the wall. The sight of the massive medical tools sent shivers through her body. "So what are we doing today?"

"I will be conducting some preliminary tests on how your skin is converting into metal."

"'Kay." She linked her hands behind her back and waited for the scans.

"I cannot perform the tests if you are standing." Ratchet said calmly as he ushered her to a human-sized examination table. "Remain still and relax."

Cameron tried not to fidget as a series of beams and scans raced over her body. She could feel the mild energy pulses as they roved over the joining of skin and metal, focusing on the very fine line where her skin merged with the Cybertronian alloy. The most concentrated pulses flittered over her collarbone and bared stomach. The small electrical fields sent shivers through her body. Slowly her body relaxed as the pulses sent nice sensations through her muscles.

By the time the examination was over Cameron was terribly unsteady on her feet as she climbed off the table. Ratchet's finger appeared next to her, she hugged it to avoid falling. It felt strangely nice to hold the cool metal, she unconsciously clutched at it tighter.

"Are you done Ratch?"

"Yes, I believe Optimus wanted to discuss some matters with you."

Cameron nodded and allowed the medic to help her back to the floor. With a wave goodbye she hurried to find the Autobot leader.

* * *

He slid through the shadows, past dark corridors and gloomy rooms. He had to hide, remain unseen. Only then could he obtain any kind of rest and relief. He couldn't let her find him. She was dangerous, she knew too much. It would have been easier on him if she had died that day with Starscream.

A painful jolt past through his spark as the thought ran over his neural processor. No, he could never really wish that she had died.

Then again, he could wish that he had died that day instead. Then he wouldn't have to deal with the confusing emotions within him now.

Being around her was torture. Seeing her bright face was painful. Hearing her voice was agony.

Too bad he was a glutton for punishment.

Even as he tried to avoid her he was drawn near to where she was. Hiding in vents or behind pieces of furniture he spied on her, memorizing every facet of her personality, imprinting her image on his cortex. She would never be his but he could carry her with him always, secretly.

Environmental scans told him that his target was approaching. Quickly he scampered back into a dark room. He monitored her through the wall as she walked straight past his hiding spot.

As soon as she had disappeared down the hall, Frenzy berated himself on the foolishness of his brand new affections. They would be his downfall, he knew they would. She was the very reason he couldn't return to the Decepticon main base when they finally returned to Cybertron. Soundwave would only have to scan him once to know that his weakness was an Autobot. Then the torture would begin. Frenzy could just imagine his brother, Rumble, laughing himself into stasis because Frenzy had fallen for an Autobot. The other Decepticons wouldn't be so nice. They would be as abusive as possible without incurring severe punishment. He didn't even want to think about what they would do to her if they ever caught her, no doubt they would force him to watch as they broke her.

Every senor and circuit in the little silver body chilled. He couldn't expose her to that sort of danger. He wouldn't allow his weakness to be abused. To protect himself and her, Frenzy resolved, he would remain as far away from her as possible.

It was the only way they could both survive. Alone.

* * *

Optimus Prime was sitting behind a massive reinforced steel desk when Cameron entered his quarters. Throwing a glance over the room Cameron saw that he really hadn't done anything to alleviate the starkness of the metal walls. There was a large platform against a wall that Cameron knew the Transformers used to sleep on. No, Ratchet had called it recharging. Cameron laughed quietly as she imagined the medic plugging himself into a wall to recharge his batteries. The Autobot leader looked up as the soft sound escaped her throat.

"Prime, really, I should contract an interior designer or something. This place is boring." Cameron said as a greeting.

"Good morning Cameron. Have you seen Ratchet already?"

"Yes _Dad_." She replied sarcastically. "He said you wanted to see me."

"Indeed. The contingent of human scientists will arrive in five days. There will be a medical practitioner amongst them, he will ensure that you are healthy."

"Prime, I haven't been 'healthy' for several years, and having over half my body made up of an alien metal will not encourage any doctor to sign a release form so I can leave the planet."

Optimus seemed to consider this. "That may be true. We will wait and find out what the human's tests reveal. Traveling to Cybertron may prove harder than having you pass a medical exam. So far your government seems unwilling to part with enough propulsion to remove us from the Earth's gravitational pull."

Cameron frowned. "There has to be a way to gather enough energy. What about using some energon? Isn't that explosive?"

Optimus nodded. "Energon could be used as an aid, but enough to successfully thrust us through space would seriously deplete any energy source that we used to manufacture it."

"Well we have five days to figure something out before the governments' lackeys try to take control."

Optimus' optics glowed with amusement.

"I'm going to find Slider and Frenzy. I need to call my Mum. I promised I'd call when I got to New York."

"But you are not going to New York."

"I know, but I had to tell her something." Cameron smiled and saluted as she exited the office.

* * *

Slider sat in the communications room, monitoring the security feeds from around the base. Her gaze ranged over the multiple screens, searching for any sign of the mini silver Decepticon.

_He has to be here somewhere._ She thought in frustration. _A robot can't just disappear?_

But he had, much to her irritation. Frenzy had just up and disappeared the day he and Barricade had arrived. Obviously he was still on the base, otherwise Cameron and Barricade would have said or done something. It wasn't as if he could turn into smoke…

With the idea of transformation in her head Slider began searching for a silver boom-box. If he wasn't scurrying around the base maybe he was hiding in plain sight.

Slider searched for over an hour but still came up with nothing. Scowling she turned away from the monitors. The missing Decepticon disturbed her; actually it mostly disturbed her that it seemed to be that only she couldn't find Frenzy. Earlier in the day she had heard Ironhide muttering about Decepticons. Why would they be hanging around an Autobot who so clearly wishes that they were deactivated?

Did he just not want to see her at all? Had she read more into his behavior at the barn than he had meant. The thought swirled through her mind and she grew increasingly certain that that was the answer. Frenzy didn't like her. In fact he obviously couldn't stand to be anywhere near her, thus his non-appearance.

Huffing angrily Slider threw some scrap across the room. She would show him, he wasn't the only one who could avoid someone.

* * *

_Two days later_

"Hey 'Hide. What are you doing out here?" Cameron asked when she noticed Ironhide standing by himself outside the hangar.

"Watchin'"

"Watching what?"

The weapons specialist gestured with his head. Cameron clambered up to his shoulder and followed his gaze.

Out on the white sand surrounding their base was Scorponok. The Companion was cavorting playfully amongst the dunes. Cameron smiled as she watched the very child-like way Scorponok scampered around in the sand. She looked up at Ironhide. The scowl that usually graced his face when watching the Decepticons was absent. He looked calm, almost content.

Cameron's smile widened and she jumped off the large shoulder, sliding down along his back, she landed with a light thud and moved back towards the doors.

"Doing something important?"

She turned back to find Ironhide's optics shining at her. "Kind of. I have to call my Mum. I promised. I figured Slider and Frenzy would help me."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

Cameron frowned slightly. The pair had been acting strangely for a couple of days now. But she was sure that whatever problem they were having would soon work itself out, she'd seen the way they looked at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking.

* * *

_The next day_

Cameron was sitting beside Optimus when an angry Ratchet stormed into the main hanger.

"Sup Ratch? Has someone welded your tools to the wall again?"

A dark scowl was the only answer she received.

"Aww. Come on Ratchet, I was only joking, what's got my favorite medic so cranky?"

"He's always cranky." Came a shout from the other side of the hall.

A wrench appeared in the medic's hand followed by a loud yelp of pain from Jazz. Cameron chuckled as the sporty transformer rubbed at his head.

"Spill it Ratch, we all know you're aching to growl about something."

The pale yellow mech watched her for a moment before grumbling. "That slagging Decepticon and Slider are at it again. They're sitting in my medbay snarling at each other. If this doesn't stop soon I'm going to turn them both into toasters. "

Cameron frowned. _This is getting out of hand_.

"Don't worry Ratchet, I'll deal with them. You just relax; we can't have you failing on us."

"Relax! How am I supposed to relax when there's no peace in this place."

"Like this." Cameron rested her metal hand on Ratchet's armor and sent a wave of calm energy through him. She felt the sensory nodes ease as the soothing power rippled through his systems. On the outside Ratchet twitched slightly before almost collapsing into a chair, the look on his face was content.

"That's a good medic." She murmured as she left the mechs behind.

Cameron went straight to the medbay but found no sign of either minibot. Sending tendrils of energy she focused on one signal.

She finally found Frenzy while he was slinking through the base. If she hadn't known better she would have thought the little mech was spying on them. But she did know better, enough to know that it wasn't security devices he was trying to avoid, it was Slider.

Cameron's poor little creation was being avidly avoided by the one mech she wanted to see most of all. Of course as soon as Slider had realized Frenzy was ignoring her on purpose she had started ignoring him back. Cameron had been watching with great amusement as the two minibots avoided one another. At least it had been amusing until it had started to affect their duties.

Back when the Decepticons had first arrived Slider would happily be in the same room as them while the other Autobots merely tolerated them. Now she scowled whenever either appeared and quickly escaped the room if they lingered, causing her duties to be only half completed. Frenzy on the other hand would just disappear whenever he saw her.

Dragging the mini Decepticon with her Cameron stalked through the base in search of Slider. Frenzy obviously didn't know what was going on as she hauled him along by the arm.

Cameron knew that he wouldn't attack her but he would definitely complain loudly if he knew what their destination was.

Using her bond with Slider to find the minibot, Cameron dragged Frenzy towards her. As soon as Slider saw her and Frenzy come through the door, she tried to escape. Cameron stopped her with a leash of energy.

Six little blue optics glared up at her, Cameron merely glared back. Hauling Frenzy around to stand next to Slider, Cameron restrained them both.

"This has gone on long enough. Optimus has had enough, I've had enough, even Barricade has had enough. We are sick of you two scowling at each other. Now, neither of you are leaving this room until you have sorted this out or you kill one another."

"You want us to kill each other?" Slider asked incredulously.

Cameron glared at her warningly. "If you two don't figure something out I will return the both of you to the Matrix."

The minibots stared at her in shock.

"But you created me. Would you really deactivate me?" Slider asked in a small voice.

Cameron felt her heart clench at the sad face. "I won't have dissention in my family. Get used to it now because as soon as we reach Cybertron there will be a lot of changes." She turned on her heel and left, shutting and locking the door behind her.

Slider was still reeling from Cameron's deadly promise. She watched as Frenzy flew to the door and tried to wrench it open. Slider knew it wouldn't work, Cameron had sealed them in using the Allspark. Instead she slumped against the wall and waited for Frenzy to calm down.

Venting harshly in frustration, the mini Decepticon leaned against the opposite wall, he frowned slightly. "This is t-torture." He clicked softly.

Slider snapped out of her gloom. "Being around me is torture?" she asked indignantly.

Frenzy looked unsure for a moment before replying. "Yes."

"You bastard!" she yelled, all her anger and hurt coming to the front. "How dare you say that! I have done nothing to you, nothing that would deserve this sort of treatment. I haven't even imposed on your privacy, even though Cameron wants our help…You're a fool. A complete idiot. I hope you realize that the only reason you and Barricade are still alive is because Cameron wants you to be. She doesn't want you to be deactivated, only Primus knows why."

"I never as-sked her t-to save me."

"You didn't have to. Cameron is the Allspark, she is a part of us all. Do you truly think your creator would just stand back and let you die?"

He gazed at her coldly. "She threatened to d-deactivate us. Did you think your c-creator would ever d-do that?"

Slider frowned, he was right, she hadn't thought Cameron would ever threaten her life. At least not seriously.

"The only reason she's angry is because you are a bastard."

"That isn't t-true…much."

Slider scoffed. "You're the one who started this fight."

"How? I was t-trying to avoid a c-confrontation."

"Exactly! You were avoiding me." To her horror her voice wavered at the end. Frenzy looked away from her anguished optics, but Slider had more to say. "Our lives are at risk because we can't get along. Just tell me why you are avoiding me, then we can tell Cameron we're okay and no one has to be deactivated." Her tone bordered on pleading.

"Why I'm avoid-ding you."  
"Yes."

He hesitated. Slider laid a hand on his arm to encourage him. The little Decepticon stared at her hand before placing his over the top. Slider felt her spark begin to pulse fast.

He spoke calmly and without his usual stutter.

"You are an Autobot and my enemy. You stand for everything that I think is weak and stupid. Your leader is bent on '_noble sacrifice_' and all the soldiers in your army are '_friends_'. You are everything I cannot stand."

His piercing gazed made Slide want to remove her hand from him but his stopped her.

"And even though I know all of this and every molecule of my structure tells me it is wrong, I'm drawn to you. You are my weakness…and if any of the Decepticons found out, you would be in grave danger."

Slider could only stare as Frenzy spoke. Her spark pulsed so strongly she was sure he would be able to see its light through her armor. Controlling her urge to leap into his arms, she concentrated on what he had said.

"You were trying to protect me." She whispered.

Frenzy released her hand but Slider left hers on his arm. This was the most momentous occasion of her little life, and Slider had the feeling that it wouldn't last very long at all.

She was right.

"I can't be around you, it would endanger both of us if my thoughts were revealed."

Slider clutched at his arm almost desperately. "So this is it? We're stuck in a hate-to-love-you situation?"

Frenzy's only answer was a curt nod.

Slider's spark felt like it was being crushed as she realized that she would never be able to be with Frenzy the way Bumblebee and Jazz were together. She was so lost in her thoughts that she jumped when a small hand touched her chin. Jerking her face up, she saw Frenzy peering down tenderly into her optics.

"Be strong, we'll see each other again."

"On the battlefield?"

"Maybe. If that happens I'll have to kidnap you until the fighting is over." He replied with a smile.

Slider felt her spirits rise as Frenzy tried to brighten her gloomy thoughts. "I'll hold you to that."

"It's a deal then."

"What will you tell the Decepticons?"

"It's none of their business, all they'll know is that I love to hate you."

"I'll hate to hate you." She said softly.

He leaned closer and whispered in her audios. "Secretly, I'll love to love you."

A smile lit up Sliders face as she felt her spark expand. With a soft sigh she wrapped her arms around Frenzy's thin body.

They stood like that, unaware that door had been released.

* * *

**Done!**

**What did you think? Not too soppy was it?**

**Please review and tell me. Plus vote for Cameron maybe-love.**

**TammyCat**


	26. Chapter 26

**Hi all, I'm so sorry this is sooo late. If i tell you it's long will you not flame me?**

**If it seems a bit disjointed or just doesn't flow properly, that's because I write bits and pieces on the train to work. I think I said that last time too, but yeah.**

**Thank You to all my reviewers!! I really glad that so many of you liked Slider and Frenzy together. I have so many ideas of what might happen next so big thank yous to everyone!!**

**I'm so glad that you want to see Cameron fall a little bit in love. Voting is still open, Ratchet and Barricade have been mentioned as contenders. So please let me know what you'd like to see.**

**Enjoy!! 

* * *

**

Chapter 26

Cameron walked silently away from the minibots. She was pleased with the progress Slider and Frenzy were making in her quarters. She was sure that the base would soon be the peaceful place Ratchet wanted it to be. 

A blast went off somewhere outside the hanger. 

Cameron winced. Maybe she should start working of Barricade's relationship with the Autobots, then it might be somewhat peaceful.

Cameron scratched at the edge of metal along her stomach. When her fingers didn't dig into flesh she looked down.

"Shit, Ratchet's going to shoot me."

The metal had spread.

* * *

Cameron was studying the extended edge of her transformed skin at breakfast the two days later. The shiny metal now formed a thick belt around her waist. The edge was no longer a defined line but a smooth transition from alloy to silver to shimmery skin.

Ratchet had told her to avoid connecting with the Allspark's energy. Too bad Slider and Frenzy had needed her assistance. The pair were still not talking, but at least they could remain in the same room together and not glare at each other. In fact their glances were almost sickeningly tender.

Stretching her arms over her head Cameron headed for the energon dispenser. Once again Ratchet had told her not to consume too much energon, but surely one or two mini-cubes wouldn't do her any harm.

Sitting down at the table, she waited for Bumblebee, Jazz and Barricade to return from patrol. Since Frenzy had become more relaxed around the Autobots, Barricade had lost a lot of his hostility. Cameron was beginning to think that Companions had more influence over their Partners than she had previously believed.

"Um, hello. Are you my contact?" 

An unsure voice broke through Cameron's thoughts. Turning she saw that it was the doctor from the hospital.

"Golden Eyes?"

The man's eyes widened. "Miss Oakham?"

She smiled and nodded. It felt surprisingly good to see another human being again. Sam and Mikaela hadn't been around much since they had gone off to college and she wasn't allowed to see her family.

"Are you the government's doctor?"

"Yep. I'm guessing you're the patient."

"Indeed. I didn't know you were with Sector Seven."

Doctor Jamie Watson nodded. "I returned to regular medicine after S7 was terminated."

"Good choice. Well, follow me and I'll show you the medbay." She pushed out of her chair and stood up, Golden Eyes gasped. Cameron caught him looking at her legs. Confused, she looked down to see if she had spilt anything on herself. Belatedly it occurred to her that when she had first met the man she'd had two normal legs.

Grinning at his astonishment, Cameron walked over and slipped her metal arm through his. "Come on. We can't keep Ratchet waiting." 

She pulled Dr. Watson along by the arm to the medbay, she was eager to get these test over with.

Ratchet was polishing a large handgun when Cameron and Watson arrived. Cameron smiled as the man paled. She had never seen Ratchet wield a weapon before. It was an impressive sight. Smothering her smile she called out a greeting.

The medic didn't look up. "You're here early. Looking for more candy are you?"

"You make it sound as though I don't like being around you. That hurts me Ratch, it hurts me here." She held a hand over her heart. "Or is it here now?" She shifted her hand to the centre of her chest, the traditional place for a spark.

"I have informed you numerous times that your body will remain human in all its physical aspects. Now, are you here for a reason or should I just use that male for target practice?"

"Oh, we are in a mood today. Doctor Watson's here for the tests. You said you wanted to be present." 

Ratchet merely grunted a reply and leaned against the wall with his gun. Cameron shook her head and looked over at Golden Eyes. "Don't worry about him, he just doesn't want you here."

The young man watched the much larger medic warily. "I can tell."

"There is some equipment you may use." Ratchet said quietly, reluctantly.

"Thanks." Golden Eyes examined the human-sized section of the lab. "Does this centrifuge work?"

"Are you suggesting that I keep dysfunctional equipment in my medbay?" Ratchet asked dangerously.

Golden Eyes visibly paled, he was beginning to look quite sick. Cameron flicked her gaze between the two medics. "Is there a problem boys?"

"The youngling male is implying that I don't have a properly functioning medbay."

Cameron's eyes widened, she knew that Ratchet took great pride in his medical lab. "I'm sure he didn't really mean that."

Ratchet scowled and crossed his arms.

Cameron turned back to the human doctor. "So Golden Eyes, what do you want to do first?"

"You can call me Jamie, it might be easier to say. As for the tests, well, they want to know if you are in peak physical condition. Just looking at you I'd say no, but then I'm being paid to check you over, so let's start with blood and move onto x-rays and basic a physical. Is there an x-ray machine here?"

The robotic medic grumbled. "I will assist you when you require internal scans."

Pleased that there wouldn't be any blood-shed in the medbay Cameron ignored Jamie's uncertain expression and climbed onto the examination table. "Come on doc, I don't have all day, the other scientists will be here soon."

Jamie abandoned his staring contest with the much larger medic to join Cameron in the smaller lab.

* * *

Privately Cameron thought that the examination had gone well, except for when Jamie had taken some blood and ratchet had started berating her for drinking energon again. Apparently earth-made energon isn't good for developing systems. Other than that it went well, her x-rays and internal images showed that Ratchet was right, everything inside her was alloy-enhanced. Not that she'd ever doubted him; he'd now gone off to help Optimus prepare for the expected scientists.

It was just after one o'clock when Jamie suggested a CT and MRI scan. Cameron had no problems with the idea but there was one little setback to the plan.

"We don't have any of those machines."

Jamie looked up, his golden eyes shining. "Pardon?"

"We don't have any of those machines." Cameron repeated.

"But I thought that you were supposed to have all necessary medical equipment."

"We couldn't really justify why we needed one, especially when the only person qualified to use it is too big to do so. Plus Ratchet is full of fancy medical stuff."

"Well call him back so we can continue."

"He won't come back, he's helping Optimus and you said that you didn't need his help anymore."

"Then we'll just have to go to a hospital."

"Ratchet won't like that." She protested. "He wants me to stay on base."

"Do you do everything you're told?"

"No, but that's not the point. It wouldn't be safe for me to leave."

"Why, who's going to attack you? You already have the Decepticons under your control."

"They aren't under my control, they are merely doing what I ask. Plus my being half made of metal would be quite a shock for any normal person."

"True, but I have special clearance that will get us in and out without notice."

"Sector Seven clearance? I thought that was revoked now that you're a regular citizen."

"But I'm not, regular, that is."

"Does this have something to do with your golden eyes?"

"Yeah."

Cameron was about to demand his story when her stomach spoke, the loud grumble declared that it was time to eat. "Come have lunch, we can talk."

Cameron pulled on his hand and led the way to the kitchen. Watson ate a toasted cheese sandwiches and Cameron sipped at a mini-cube while sitting on the wide benches.

"So are you going to explain?" Cameron prodded.

Jamie nodded. "It's fairly simple really. My father worked for Sector Seven. In fact he was one of their human test subjects, volunteer of course. He had already been working for S7 for several years before he met my mother. So when I was born, the traces of whatever he'd been exposed to were passed on to me. And when I was old enough, Sector Seven recruited me and trained me to be a doctor."

"Hmm, that sounds like something Sector Seven would do." 

"I've told you my story, now you get to share yours."

Cameron swallowed the last of her energon. "As you know I had cancer. I found out when I was fifteen, it was aggressive and it spread quickly. Within eighteen months I was declared terminal. That was when Mum and Dad took me to see a specialist in a last ditch effort. On the way back from the unsuccessful visit we hit a car. Well I was told it was a car, really it was Prime. He and Barricade had been in a fight. Anyway, the shard of the Allspark went straight through my heart and I died."

Jamie butted in. "But if you died how can you be alive now?"

"The Allspark, it brought me back and cured my cancer, from then my body has been changing into what it is now.. I've been told that there is still more to go, like the other side of my body."

"So you're going to end up looking like them?"

"Not exactly, Ratchet said that I will remain human-looking, I'll just be made of metal."

"Doesn't that scare you?"

"Not particularly. I'd already accepted a more horrible fate when I was sixteen."

Their private session was interrupted by a shout and the sound of metal upon metal, they dashed to the doorway.

Bumblebee was restraining Barricade while Jazz slammed his fists into the dark Decepticon's face and lightly armored torso. Barricade grunted as the smaller mech's fists landed hard against him.

"Jazz! What the hell is going on?" Cameron demanded as Optimus and Ironhide appeared. Jazz turned, his optics blazing with controlled anger.

"Jazz, explain." Optimus Prime ordered. 

"This slagger has been lying to us, that's why he hasn't been causing so much trouble. There are two signals approaching Earth and he knew about them." Jazz landed another blow across Barricade's face. "Who are they?"

He didn't answer.

"Were you planning on telling us about them?" Optimus asked.

"Not until I knew who it was."

"Probably hoping it was Decepticons so he could betray us." Jazz punched him again.

"Is this bad Optimus?" Cameron asked as she placed a hand on his ankle.

"It could be, depending on who it is." He faced Barricade. "How long until they land?"

"I don't know."

Slider sprinted into the hanger. "Umm, something has appeared on one of the monitors."

Leaving Barricade in Bumblebee's and Jazz's custody, they followed Slider back to the control room. Ratchet and Frenzy stood at a consol, Frenzy hammering on the keypad. The Autobots watched him warily until he turned around.

"What? D-did 'Cade blame me for s-something again? I s-swear I didn't d-do it."

Cameron ignored him as she climbed onto the table. The computer's screen was covered in data and codes that she didn't recognize.

"Prime, what does this mean?"

The large head leaned closer. "Whoever is up there will be here in just under two Earth months."

"Two months! I was hoping to be gone by then."

"I thought you had a meeting with the scientists this afternoon to discuss that. I think they have some problems with the project." Jamie said as he clambered onto the desk.

"They probably do, but I still think it can be done."

"Optimus what are we going to do about the incoming signals?" Ratchet asked over the top of the humans.

"There's nothing we can do until they arrive."

"We could blow them out of the air." Ironhide suggested.

"You are presuming that they are Decepticons, what if you're wrong and you blast Prowl? Or worse, Chromia."

Ironhide visibly shuddered at the thought. "So what then? We wait to see if they shoot first?"

"Hopefully they won't shoot at all."

"Don't c-count on it."

All attention was turned to Frenzy.

"What do you know?" Ironhide's pulse cannon charged.

"Nothing. All I'm saying is that many of us have been waiting a long time to return Megatron to his throne, many are impatient."

"So you expect whoever is coming to be a Decepticon who was too eager to wait."

"It has a higher probability than an Autobot ignoring one of the great Optimus Prime's orders."

Prime frowned in thought. "This will remain our secret. The humans must not learn that two more of our kind are about to land on Earth."

"All leaks will be plugged." Ratchet said. In one swift moment he brought his gun up, leveled at Jamie.

Cameron stepped forward with her hands raised. "Whoa Ratchet! Golden Eyes isn't going to tell anyone anything. Are you?" 

The man shook his head, his wide eyes on the weapon as big as he was. 

"There, see Ratch? He's not going to say anything. Why don't you and Ironhide go take Barricade away before the other humans get here?"

The medic scowled as his gun disappeared and he followed Ironhide out of the room. Cameron turned a bewildered gaze to Optimus. "What the hell? He's behaving more like 'Hide than himself."

Optimus Prime's expression betrayed none of what he was thinking. Cameron began to wish that she didn't have the gadget that stopped her broadcasting implanted in her, if it wasn't there she probably would be able to hear what Prime was thinking.

"Prime, do you know what's wrong with Ratchet?"

The large mech smiled slightly and shook his head. "I'm sure he'll be fine soon enough. Are you prepared to meet the scientists?" He said, changing the topic.

Cameron directed her attention to the open door. "Yes."

* * *

Cameron greeted the government's scientists in the same manner she would watch a Ben Stiller movie; with complete disinterest.

The team consisted of six people. Three men of various ages, a woman in her late thirties and two twenty-something lab assistants. Dr. Rossburn, the head scientist, appeared very excited to be working with the Autobots. He was around fifty with thinning dark hair and glasses. His face was kind and studious with wrinkles that added a kind of wisdom to his aura. He immediately shook her hand and expressed his delight at being able to study the aliens. Cameron had been about to shatter the older man's happiness by telling him that the Autobots weren't test subjects when the woman spoke.

"Defense Secretary Kellar has made an agreement with an Optimus Prime, to allow Dr. Rossburn to study them."

Dr. Vickers, the second-in-command, was a commanding woman. Her grey-touched blonde hair was pulled into a neat bun and she had only a few wrinkles at the sides of her eyes to attest to her age. Cameron respected her straight away.

It was a pity that the rest of the afternoon didn't go as well as those first few minutes.

Dr. Rossburn had taken one of the assistants and followed Golden Eyes to the med bay, he would be working with Ratchet and Optimus.

The other four set themselves around Cameron's large dining table and started working on sending the eight Cybertronians and Cameron through space and into a galaxy on the other side of the universe. This, apparently, turned out to be impossible due to physics or something Cameron didn't understand. By the end Cameron was slumped in a chair, bored out of her metal-enhanced brain, while the four scientists bickered about theoretical answers to the problem.

Three hours after the scientists had started working Cameron was wishing that something would happen, something interesting. She knew, of course, that wishing for that was fairly stupid, because every time she had ever wanted something interesting to happen she got hurt. Maybe this time it would be different and Barricade, Jazz and Bumblebee would go running through the hanger, or Ironhide playing dodge-the-plasma-shot with Scorponock, maybe even Jazz chasing Bee…with a pair of handcuffs.

Cameron smothered her giggle as her brain conjured that image. Those two were absolutely adorable. The love between them was so obvious that it almost hurt Cameron to be around them since she had given up on feeling any such emotions, but she never felt down for long, more often than not she felt buoyed by their connection. As the Allspark she could feel their link, and it left her curious about the other mechs. Had they left someone special behind when they had come in search of the Allspark?

A familiar signal disturbed Cameron's thoughts. At last, a distraction from the nerds and their confusing discussions. The sound of Optimus' footsteps echoed through the hall long before he appeared. His dour expression said a lot about the interview with Dr. Rossburn.

Before he was halfway across the hanger Cameron sent him a wave of frustrated boredom, Prime altered his course.

"We have a problem Optimus." Cameron said as soon as he was next to her.

"What problem?" He eyed the scientists with distrust. He hadn't forgotten what had happened to Bumblebee at Hoover Dam.

"Not the humans, they're fine. It's their results that are the problem."

Prime's optic ridge rose. "Explain."

Dr. Vickers stepped forward. "The power to weight ratio is too unbalanced. We cannot produce enough thrust to send all eight of you into outer space and then power you all the way to your destination."

"Not to make your calculations superfluous but we are fully capable of propelling ourselves to Cybertron without your aid. We merely need to get beyond the Earth's gravitational field." There was a smile in Prime's voice.

The humans looked stunned. Cameron carefully hid her surprise and made a mental note to speak to Ratchet. A glance at Dr. Vickers and her team showed that they were quickly getting over their shock, the younger members had already started scribbling new sets of numbers and talking to each other in fast, low voices. Cameron flashed a grin at Optimus and settled back onto her chair.

It was some time later when Cameron was jerked awake by loud voices, she wasn't sure what time it was but the people around her were still arguing. Their expressions showed that not much progress had been made despite the new circumstance.

Groaning, she stretched and stood. "How's it going?"

Dr. Vickers looked up. "At the moment it's not. If we don't come up with some break-through theories soon, you and your mechanical friends will be keeping your feet, and wheels, firmly on Earth."

"That's not good. At this rate we may never get to Cybertron."

"There was something else I wanted to speak to you about." Vickers motioned and Cameron followed her away from the table. "How will you survive the trip through space, without oxygen?"

Oh, I don't breathe anymore. My lungs are slowly being reformatted into something more relevant to my new situation."

Vickers peered over her glasses. "You don't breathe?"

"Nope." Cameron smiled at her disbelief. "I don't really understand it myself; if you have any questions you should ask Ratchet, he's keeping track of my transformation." She turned her head as she sensed him approach. "Here he comes."

The yellow medic stormed into the hangar, his face a mask of anger and frustration. He was holding Dr. Rossburn by the back of his shirt. The man kept trying to grab hold of Ratchet's wrist but continued to fail miserably as he swung. The lab assistant and Jamie Watson ran along at Ratchet's heels.

Cameron dashed forward a few steps. "Ratchet, what are you doing?"

Ratchet stopped and glowered at her. "I am not a science experiment. If Prime had told me that would be the case I would never have agreed to work with the human."

"Ratchet honey, calm down." Cameron reached out and touched his foot.

A stream of soothing energy passed from her body into his. The anger faded from his optics and Cameron took the opportunity to climb up to his shoulder.

"Let the human go. He's not worth getting this angry over. He was just a little excited. Please Ratchet, put the man down."

The look on Ratchet's face said that he knew exactly what she was doing, and she knew he hated being manipulated like this. He frowned slightly but lowered Dr. Rossburn into the waiting hands of the other scientists.

Cameron smiled softly and ran hand along the edge of his helmet. "Thank you. Could you help me down, we still have more work to do."

As soon as Cameron's feet touched the ground Ratchet spun and left the hangar. Cameron pursed her lips as she watched him leave. Behind her Dr. Rossburn was talking very fast about everything Ratchet had shared with him, and he seemed more than eager to stress Ratchet's patience and harass him some more. Luckily Dr. Vickers turned his attention to the problem that they were facing and successfully diverted the older man's attention.

Cameron sighed. It was going to be a long day and at the end she would have to convince Ratchet to keep helping the humans. He will probably want something to sweeten the deal. If she could remember how to make high-grade energon she might be able to pull it off. And then there was the secret of the two incoming signals. If they didn't find a way to get off Earth there was a good chance that a whole lot more would be following.

Oh well, one problem at a time. Returning her attention to the scientists she listened as they began debating over how to send the Cybertronians into space.

It was going to be a very long day.

**Another one done only a couple more to go. Hopefully the next one will be sooner than later.**

**Please review and vote if you want to see Cameron have a heart.**

**TammyCat**


	27. Chapter 27

**Hi all, **

**I'm back and offering a short chap to keep you all interested. It's short because work takes all my time, but I'm so close to finishing this it ain't funny. I know I said only two or three more about three updates ago but I didn't really want to stop, so I streched it out.**

**Thank you for your reviews. I adored them and I'm glad you would like to see Cameron have a lil lovin.**

**Amoured Soul: Thank you for reviewing. I'm really glad you've enjoyed this so much.**

**Enjoy!!**

* * *

**Chapter ****27**

Cameron was relieved when the scientists left the base later that afternoon. The rest of the appointed visit had gone slightly better. They had replaced Dr. Rossburn with Dr. Vickers and, with a lot of cajoling and begging from Cameron, Ratchet had agreed to work with the woman.

The partnership had turned out better than expected. Ratchet didn't show any signs of wanting to rearrange Dr. Vickers limbs and she didn't try to stick a large hypodermic needle into one of his exposed pipes.

Dr. Rossburn on the other hand sulked a bit when he was no longer allowed to study Ratchet but had cheered up quickly when they had caught his attention with their dilemma.

It was getting dark when the scientists had finally escaped the base. With parting smiles and handshakes they promised to try and find a solution. Cameron hugged Jamie goodbye last and made him promise to come back and visit her. He did so with a quick smile and followed the others.

Cameron was feeling fairly good about the whole thing until she turned around and found Ratchet glaring at the departing cars. Her heart sank as he scowled darkly and stomped inside, his feet slamming against the ground. She sighed heavily, her thoughts now filled with angry Ratchet and the possible threat of the incoming transformers.

* * *

The medic showed the extent of his displeasure by locking the medbay doors and not answering anyone's request for him to open up. Not even Optimus'.

"What's wrong with the doc Prime?" Jazz asked the next day as he stood outside the medbay with his arm sparking.

"What happened to you?" Cameron asked as she walked passed for the fourth time. All the Autobots and Scorponok were gathered and waiting for Ratchet to come out of hiding.

"Barricade got me while I was interrogatin' him."

Cameron frowned at the spy but kept her thoughts to herself. It wasn't her place to get angry over whatever laws they had in place to deal with captive Decepticons.

"Hey, what's going on?" Bumblebee came up behind Jazz, looked down at his shoulder and poked it. "What happened to you?"

"Ratchet's locked himself in the medbay." Ironhide answered Bumblebee's first question.

"Why?"

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be here." 'Hide replied grumpily. Scorponok poked at his leg with a claw. Ironhide kicked it away.

"Something must have happened to irritate him." Bumblebee argued.

"It's Ratchet. A chip of paint off his shoulder would irritate him." Jazz said.

"No, that's Sunstreaker. Come on, this isn't Ratchet's normal behavior, especially when there's someone injured." Bee poked at Jazz's shoulder again.

"Someone has to have some idea of why he's behaving this way?" Cameron cast a pleading look at the gathered mechs. "Any clues?"

Jazz shook his head and shrugged his non-sparking arm.

"That's really starting to shit me." Cameron said and gestured for him to pick her up.

Standing over the exposed wires and circuitry she shielded her face from the randomly flying sparks. Carefully sitting on the silver shoulder she plunged her hands into the gap. Holding the worst breaks together she used the Allspark's energy to repair the wound.

"This is gettin' ridiculous." Ironhide grumbled. "He's been in there for two days."

"Didn't he do this once on Cybertron?" Bumblebee asked as he wrapped his arms around Jazz. The solstice leaned into him, careful not to knock Cameron off.

"Yeah, but that was because we replaced him with First Aid."

"Why would you do that?" isn't he the best medic you have?" Cameron asked as she stood.

Jazz turned his head and inspected his shoulder. "He was. I think you could give him a run for his energon. Look, not even a line."

Cameron smiled at the comment but tried to stay on track. "So why did you replace him? And who's First Aid?"

"First Aid is another medical officer. He was Ratchet's apprentice. So when Ratchet worked so hard that he almost off-lined himself, we got First Aid to step in." Prime answered.

Cameron nodded and brought up the other problem that had been niggling at her mind. "Ratchet's bad mood aside. What are we going to do about the leaving Earth problem? If we can't even get off the ground, there'll be no way that we'll make it all the way to Cybertron."

"And on top of that we still don't know who followed us here." Bumblebee said with his head on Jazz's other shoulder.

"Whoever it is they should soon be close enough for us to identify them with long range scans."

The medbay door opened. "That's not technically true."

"Ratchet! You're back!" Cameron exclaimed happily. The medic didn't respond.

"Is there a problem with the scanners?" Prime asked.

"No. But the technology provided by the humans isn't capable of distinguishing one signal from another."

"So you're sayin', we can see that they're coming but we won't know who they are until they're infront of us?"

"Exactly."

"So what do we do? Just wait?" Jazz asked.

"That would appear to be our only course of action." Optimus replied.

Cameron was about to say something when Ratchet turned back around and entered the medbay, once again locking them out.

* * *

What was he doing?

He couldn't keep running away, avoiding her. He hadn't hidden like this since he was a sparkling and Ironhide had picked on him.

Pushing away from the door Ratchet moved into his office and slumped into his chair. Things were only going to get more complicated if he didn't find someway to ignore what he was feeling. Because sooner or later he would act on it.

Truthfully, Ratchet wasn't an impulsive mech, but even the most staid and rigid soldiers would have trouble controlling themselves in his position.

Berating himself for being the most glitch-headed mech in all of existence, Ratchet tried to figure out when he had first developed feelings for Cameron. If he analyzed it like any other ailment he might have a greater understanding of how it had occurred.

Symptoms: Increased awareness of the subject, increased percentage of neural space taken by subject, compulsion to be in close proximity to subject, rise in anger or jealousy when subject interacted with others.

Treatment: Extended period of isolation to avoid contact with subject and any resultant undesirable behavior.

Undesirable. That was not a word Ratchet would associate with Cameron, especially now that she was becoming more and more like them. Yes, she was human and so he really shouldn't be attracted to her in any way. And yes she was the Allspark and if he did anything it would be similar to interacting with a deity. But then again who didn't want to be touched by a god?

With a groan Ratchet dropped his head onto the desk. He had known for weeks that what he felt for Cameron was beyond doctor-patient concern, but it hadn't been until she had started interacting with Barricade and Optimus on a regular basis that he had acknowledged his feelings. He had never thought he would be jealous over attention given to a Decepticon.

That was why ever since Ironhide had shot her and accelerated her conversion, Ratchet had kept her as close to him as he could.

His plan concerning her constant companionship had backfired. Instead of getting sick and tired of having her underfoot, he felt happy to see her and had to hide his elation by being curt.

Sighing, Ratchet gave up on his struggle. He would love her but he wouldn't touch her. He couldn't allow anything to change Cameron's feelings for him. She treated him like everyone else, as a friend.

Unrequited love was not something he was familiar with but it was something he would have to get used to.

* * *

**I know it was short but I didn't want to leave it a month between updates. Hopefully a longer one will be following.**

**Please review, feedback is always welcome.**

**TammyCat**


	28. Chapter 28

**Before you all shoot me for being soooo late, please listen to my pleas for mercy.**

**Well, they're not really pleas for mercy, more like really bad excuses. My fave one being work. Although I do hope you forgive me, I have come offering a longer chapter this time.**

**Am I forgiven??**

**Big Thank yous for my reviewers. I hope you know I only write this to make you happy. Am i suceeding? If you can't tell I need constant positive re-affirmations. lol kidding.**

**Right well, please enjoy and don't forget to review at the end. Bye.**

**TammyCat**

_#Radio transmission#_

_Flash back/ Memory-vision thing_

* * *

**Chapter 28**

_#How long until we get there? I'm getting bored of this endless traveling.#_

The complaint buzzed through to the calmer mech. He could understand his comrades attitude, they'd been hurtling through space for several vorn and were more than ready to reach their intended goal.

_#I agree, there is nothing interesting in this galaxy.#_

_#But how much longer? We'd have been there already if you hadn't stopped to attack Shockwave.#_

_#Stop complaining! You enjoyed fighting them, you even got to play ball with Shockwave's head.#_

_#That's not the point.#_ The other mech grumbled. Silence reigned before he started again. _#I wonder if they've found Megatron and the Allspark.#_

_#If they have, what are the chances that either Megatron or Starscream has been deactivated?#_

_#Megatron would have destroyed Starscream for not following sooner.#_ The irritable mech said with conviction.

_#My energon's still on Screamer. He likes power too much to give it back to Megatron without a fight. Actually I wouldn't be surprised if Starscream deactivated Megatron right after locating the Allspark.#_

_#You have a point…How many Autobots do you think made it?#_

_#Too many, even if there's only one. They have the tendency to interrupt all of our plans. Primus, I hate those mechs.#_

_#Don't worry. If there are any left you can shoot it through the head, just like you did to Thrust.#_

The mech smiled at the memory of the fallen seeker. Deactivating traitors was always a pleasure.

They continued to travel with only minor chatter as they monitored their surroundings.

_#Will they know we're coming?#_

_#There's a good chance. I've extended our signal range to reach out to all Decepticons.#_

_#What about Companions? Will Scorponok or Frenzy detect us?#_

_#No. I can't stand those nosy fraggers.#_

_#Be careful. Soundwave likes the Companions. He helped create them.#_

_#I know, but that doesn't mean I have to like them too.# _

His partner chuckled and fell silent. Their destination was getting closer and they needed to conserve their energy in case they did have to fight the Autobots.

* * *

Cameron paced her quarters, her mind heavy and troubled. Ratchet's self-imposed isolation hadn't been broken except for him to see to minor repairs and attend the compulsory meetings. He wouldn't talk to her or look at her. His detachment during her check-ups made it feel more like she was with a mindless drone than her friend. All in all, his extended absence from her daily life was making getting out of bed in the morning terribly hard.

At the moment she was debating whether leaving her room was worth the effort. She had another appointment with Ratchet but the thought of being around him when he was behaving this way made her want to cry.

Pacing from one end of her room to the other Cameron felt the need to run. Generally she wasn't a victim of sudden activity kicks, but her body itched to move. Actually it just itched but she put that down to the stress she was feeling.

Rubbing at the back of her neck she gave into her urge and left her rooms. As soon as she was outside the confines of the hangar she started to run. Not a steady pace that could be kept up for an extended period, but a full out pelt designed to tire her out and hopefully bring dome peace to her mind.

Half an hour later and Cameron was cursing her untiring body. She couldn't clear her head and her body refused to strain. Finally stopping infront of the main entry, she searched for something to do, something that would occupy her. Ratchet popped into mind, she could spend a few hours trying to get the medic to show himself.

Scratching at her neck, she plowed through the main hangar aiming for the medbay. Halfway there she ran into Ironhide. The Weapons Specialist was blocking the corridor and didn't look as though he had any intention of moving.

"'Hide, what are you doing?"

"Waiting for Ratchet."

"Why?"

"I need his help."

"What is it? Maybe I can help." Cameron asked eagerly.

"Are you all right?"

"Why?"

"You're…jiggling."

Confused, Cameron looked down to see her right leg shaking. Well not shaking, more like speed bouncing. It was making little clicking sounds as the metal heel rapped against the concrete.

"I'm just a little restless. What do you need Ratchet for?"

"I want my cannons recalibrated to handle my new ammunition."

"What kind of ammunition?" She asked warily as she climbed onto his lap. If Ironhide was creating new types of weaponry something was bound to get shot.

"Heat guided missiles that can follow a target underground." Ironhide grinned predatorily.

Cameron scowled at him. Why was he always picking fights with Scorponok? Cameron continued to frown as she fiddled with her fingers.

"You're fidgeting. Are you worried about the others, the ones coming?"

"Sort of. I'm mostly worried that they'll be Decepticons and will ruin our chances for leaving."

"You think your government would restrict us?"

"That is a distinct possibility." She replied.

"I hope it's a pair of Autobots." He said softly.

Cameron smiled. "If you had a choice, which Autobots would it be?"

"Chromia." He answered on a sigh.

"Who's Chromia?"

"My bonded." He smiled.

"Bonded? Is that like a wife?"

"That's an appropriate human analogy."

Cameron's grin widened. "I never would have pegged you for the husbandy type 'Hide." A previous curiosity nagged at her thoughts. "Who else is bonded? I know about Jazz and Bee and now you, but did Optimus or Ratchet leave anyone behind?"

Ironhide shifted his shoulders against the wall. "Prime left Elita-1 in charge on Cybertron. She's probably got them eating out of her hand."

"What's she like?" Cameron leaned forward.

"She's tough. Strong and ruthless when she needs to be. She's Optimus' perfect spark-mate."

"She sounds like fun. Do you think I'll get to meet her?" Cameron's voice faded slightly as her vision started to blur. Shaking her head did nothing to dispel the fog. Her body swayed and she slumped against Ironhide's hands.

* * *

_A long room covered with symbols and soft lights surrounded her. She was sitting in the centre of the cavernous hall. It was the same position she had been in since the beginning of time. She was home._

_She could feel the life of the planet swirling around her, the brightly pulsing sparks of her creations, even the darker, pain-filled souls of the Decepticons further away._

_Her attention was caught by a pair in the room. The bond between their sparks glowed intensely, indicating their strong partnership._

"_Optimus, is this really a good idea?" A dusky pink femme paced infront of a familiar red form._

"_We have no other choice Elita. Megatron's forces are closing in. We can't let him have the Allspark."_

_Elita-1 scowled at Prime and stopped pacing to stand infront of him. "You would rather lose your life defending an empty city?" _

"_Megatron must believe that we've hidden the Allspark in Simfur. Only then can we keep it safe from his evil."_

_The pink femme rested her hands on Optimus' chest. "If this plan fails, and you fall, who will lead us? The Autobots need you. I need you." _

_She laid her head against her hands. Prime tipped it back. "We've come too far to give up now. I won't let Megatron claim the Allspark and I won't let my Autobots go without a leader."_

_A smiled appeared on her silver face. "Let me come with you. Let me help at Simfur."_

"_No. If the diversion at Simfur fails and I fall, a contingency plan is in place to keep the Allspark out of Megatron's hands._

_A frown covered Elita-1's face. "I thought you said you wouldn't leave the Autobots without a leader?"_

"_If I am deactivated you will be their leader. That is why I want you to remain out of this battle. I don't want to risk your life as well as my own."_

"_And if I want to risk it by staying with you?" She challenged._

"_You won't. You and the other femmes will take who is left of the sparklings and retreat to Iacon."_

"_What about Arcee? You know she won't leave and let Springer fight alone, just like I won't leave you."_

"_We don't have a choice. You must be the one to keep hope alive in our troops. If they don't have you to look to, they will fall."_

_She shook her head. "You place too much importance on my shoulders Optimus. The Autobots fight for you not me."_

_Prime framed her face with his hands. "We are the same person, my love. The bond between us will not be broken even after Oblivion."_

_Elita-1 sighed. "I will continue to fight you on this, mark my words."_

_Optimus chuckled. "At least life will never be boring." _

_She glared at him and grumbled under her breath, Prime ducked his head and silenced her with a kiss. _

* * *

"Cameron! Cameron! Are you all right?"

The world around her stopped spinning and Ironhide's dark face came into focus.

"Whoa. It's been a while since that's happened."

"What happened?" His voice was colored with concern.

"A vision, a memory really. The Allspark."

"What did you see?"

"Prime and Elita-1. Their bond is amazingly strong. I'm surprised I couldn't sense it before." _I have to get back my Broadcasting._

"You saw Elita?"

Yep. She looks pretty tough, I hope she likes me. How bad would it be if none of them liked me?"

"There's nothing to fear. Everyone respects Prime's opinion, and since he's accepted you, they will too."

Cameron smiled and leaned into Ironhide's hands. She appreciated his support but her curiosity brought her back to their original conversation.

"What about Ratchet? Does he have a bonded?"

Cameron felt her chest tightened as she waited for his answer. The feeling confused her but she pushed it aside.

Ironhide looked thoughtful. "None that I can remember. He was always more of a solitary mech than anything else. Always in his medbay."

Cameron's tense frame relaxed and she smiled. Jumping off the large mech she sent him outside with a warning not to shoot Scorponok. She waited until he was gone before she started to formulate a plan. A plan that would put her restlessness to use and hopefully release some of the stress from her thoughts. With a determined look on her face, Cameron threw back her shoulders and started hunting. She would find out what was wrong with the medic even without her broadcasting ability.

* * *

Cameron stalked through the base all day without sight of her prey. It was almost like he knew she was looking for him and was avoiding her. Squishing that thought, she continued to search.

Control room. No.

Main hanger. No.

Practice range. No.

He wasn't even in his haven, the medbay, each of the seven times she'd looked there.

Cameron was running out of options and was beginning to feel that maybe she had been right earlier and he was avoiding her. It was a depressing thought that caused pain to pick at her heart.

Following no particular path, Cameron wandered around the base half hoping to see Ratchet. But it wasn't the elusive medic that she ran into.

Darting around the corner ahead of her came Barricade. The dark mech was looking over his shoulder and didn't notice her until he almost stepped on her.

Effectively dodging the massive foot, Cameron reached out and grabbed his ankle as it landed beside her, stopping Barricade completely.

Shiny red optics gleamed down at her in a mix of confusion and frustration.

"Just because you house the Allspark, it doesn't mean you can do whatever you like with us." He groused.

"I think that's exactly what it means, especially when you're escaping from the brig." Cameron replied. The hand on his ankle was drawing energy out of his body.

"I wasn't escaping, I was taking a walk."

"Oh really?" Cameron reached out and connected with Barricade's neural network, intending to find out what his plans actually were. A surge of information ran through Cameron's brain. Suddenly she knew who the incoming mechs were, because Barricade knew those signals. She suddenly had a lot more information flood into her brain as well. Plans, dates and radio signals being only a small portion.

"My, my 'Cade. You have been keeping secrets. Why didn't you tell Optimus who was coming?" She said a bit breathlessly.

"He'll find out soon."

"But not soon enough. They won't get here in two months will they?"

Barricade looked as though he would have liked to squish her but at Cameron's energy prodding he answered.

"No, they'll be here in five earth weeks."

Cameron removed her hand and all the energy she had been restraining flooded through the large mechs systems.

"Go. But I want you to tell Optimus about this. He needs to know and I'll make sure you are punished if you don't." Barricade stared at her for a moment and ran off.

Heaving a sigh, Cameron slumped her shoulders and wandered back to the main hanger. She hoped that he would do the right thing.

But still, it would no doubt be her that told Prime about the impending arrival of the Decepticons and it would be her that would have to punish Barricade and somehow find out what was wrong with Ratchet. She hadn't really seen her friend since the scientists had been there and she missed his grouchy teasing.

Cameron looked up as Jazz sauntered passed. Maybe she should tell him about Barricade's escape. She was just opening her mouth to speak when there was a loud crash and Scorponok scuttled swiftly through the doors and hid behind Cameron, hugging her tightly to his face. Black fingers gripped the door from the other side.

"Scorponok what have you done now?"

The door slid open, Ironhide glared at the Companion from the doorway.

"When I get my hands on you I'll make you regret ever being sparked." Ironhide's cannons charged, he didn't even seem to see Cameron standing infront of the scorpion. He raised his pulse cannon. Cameron felt fear jump in her heart.

_What does he think he's doing? Doesn't he see me?_

Cameron got her answer as Ironhide prepared to fire. She started to wriggle and strain to get away but Scorponok held her firmly as though he believed that she would save him from the lethal Autobot. Realizing that she wouldn't be able to escape, Cameron squeezed her eyes shut and braced for the pain.

Waiting for the blast from the cannon Cameron was surprised when she wasn't reduced to a pile of smoking ash and confused when she heard the sound of metal striking metal.

Tentatively opening her eyes Cameron gaped at the sight before her.

Ratchet was holding Ironhide by the throat against the floor with the larger mech doing his best to throw the medic off. Ironhide's gun emitted puffs of smoke each time his flailing arm hit the ground.

* * *

Ratchet held Ironhide down using only one hand and his legs. The free hand dug into the side of Ironhide's neck. The weapons specialist yelled curses in Cybertronian and English, some causing Cameron to gasp and blush at their content. Behind her Scorponok snuggled lightly into her back, paying no attention at all to the wrestling mechs.

Ratchet slammed his friend's wriggling head hard into the cement again as he struggled.

The hand not occupied with keeping Ironhide still was shifting and searching amongst the cables and wires in his neck. Finding the appropriate one, Ratchet severed it. The lightly humming pulse cannon died with a little sigh. Satisfied with the work he had done, the medic climbed off his friend and stepped back.

Ironhide surged angrily to his feet. "Why the frag did you do that?"

"You threatened her life you glitching half-sparked scrap heap." Ratchet snarled back.

"Since when have you defended the Decepticons? And since when is Scorponok a femme."

Furious at Ironhide's complete ignorance of what he had almost done, Ratchet grabbed his head and forcibly turned it to face Cameron.

Ironhide's optics widened and Ratchet registered the shock, he really hadn't noticed that Scorponok had been hiding behind Cameron. Satisfied but not pleased, Ratchet pulled away from his friend. Batting away the still clinging Companion, he scooped Cameron into his hands and marched out of the hangar.

Cameron tried to hide her shock at Ratchet's harsh behavior with Ironhide. The dark hands cradling her now were gentle and she felt none of the fear she had felt when Ironhide had pointed his gun at her. Her heart rate slowed as they got further away from 'Hide and Scorponok.

Darting a glance up at the angry medic she felt her heart beat increase again. Putting her reaction down to lingering shock, she snuggled into Ratchet's hand. Holding onto the fingers tightly she thanked Primus that he had saved her when he had.

"Thank you." She whispered against the smooth metal. The hand beneath her tensed.

Once inside the medbay Ratchet placed her on a berth and moved to the other side of the room.

_Looks like he's still going to be distant._ Cameron thought as Ratchet started to tinker with something. She had been sure for a brief moment that he had broken out of his funk and would be treating her the way he had been before. But apparently just because he'd saved her from being charcoaled it didn't mean that he'd be back to being her friend. Cameron was brought out of her thoughts by Ratchet's irritated voice.

"What were you thinking, getting between Ironhide and Scorponok?"

"It wasn't intentional. Scorpy just grabbed me. It's not like I could force him off me."

Ratchet looked at her wryly. "You are the Allspark. You do have the ability to manipulate those of us with mechanical forms."

Cameron smiled at him. "But you're always telling me not to use my powers."

"I made that rule mostly to avoid your body changing in front of your parents."

"So I can play as much as I want now?"

"I suppose so. Just be careful not to strain yourself."

She laughed derisively. "I couldn't tire myself out even if I was dodging pulse shots all day."

"What do you mean?" Ratchet asked curiously.

Pleased that she had her friend back Cameron smiled widely before answering.

"I felt a bit stressed this morning so I went for a run and, even after half an hour, I didn't feel a thing."

"What have you got to be stressed about?"

_You_. She thought. He wouldn't like to hear that.

"The pair of transformers on their way."

"Ah, our visitors. They seem to be causing a stir throughout the base."

"What do you mean?"

Ratchet was quiet for a moment. "Optimus spends most of the day in the control room monitoring their signals, Jazz tries to beat answers out of Barricade in the brig and Bumblebee roams the city streets with Frenzy and Slider. I'm not sure what Ironhide is up to but he still has duties with Captain Lennox's family when he's not trying to deactivate Scorponok."

"That reminds me. I saw Barricade roaming the corridors. He may have escaped from the brig."

Ratchet stared. "Did you stop him?"

"Only for a moment. He was in a rush." She shrugged.

The medic continued to stare as though he didn't understand.

_Then_ _again, he probably wouldn't get why I let him go._ Cameron thought.

Ratchet broke from his freeze. "We have to tell Optimus." He dashed to a wall console. Prime's image appeared in the view-screen. "Optimus, Barricade has escaped from the brig. Shall I organize a search?"

"That won't be necessary Ratchet. Barricade is with me. He has decided to share what he knows."

Ratchet looked over his shoulder suspiciously. He suspected that Cameron knew all about the Decepticon's change of attitude.

"And just who is it?"

"This isn't a conversation that I want to have over an open line."

"Understood. I'll contact the others. We'll meet you in the control room."

Prime nodded and the screen went blank. Ratchet turned back to Cameron.

"I assume you did more than merely stop Barricade."

Cameron shrugged nonchalantly. "I do what I can."

"Hmmm. Why don't you do something productive while I summon Ironhide and Jazz."

"What about Bumblebee?"

"I'll get Jazz to contact him."

"Okay…What do you want me to do?"

Ratchet didn't answer; instead he walked into his office and shut the door.

"Great. Now he's ignoring me again." She muttered to herself.

* * *

Several minutes later Ratchet returned to the medbay to find Cameron poking through his tools. He stood back and admired the way she moved. Her actions were sure and smooth. Her tiny hands were strong and they moved with amazing speed. Her entire form was like solidified light, brilliant and passionate yet she seemed very fragile.

"What are you doing?"

She spun around and flashed him an innocent smile. "Being productive." She held up a welding torch and a sheet of metal plating. "I was going to fix the hole in this wall."

Ratchet's gaze moved over her and to the hole she was talking about. It had been there for a while but he had never bothered to cover it, it was only just large enough for Cameron to stick her head through.

"Leave it. I'll do it later."

She smiled at him again and Ratchet's spark flared. Her words killed the warmth her smile had caused.

"If you haven't been fixing things in the medbay, how _have_ you been spending your time since you stopped hanging around us?"

Ratchet shifted uncomfortably. "I have been preparing for the trip home."

It wasn't a complete lie. He _was_ insulating his systems to protect them from the coldness of space. At the same time he was designing and building a series of intricate firewalls to stop any intruder from discovering his feelings for Cameron, even if that intruder was Cameron.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

Ratchet looked down at her sardonically. "What good would pennies be to me?"

Cameron grinned. "Fine, an energon treat then."

Ratchet smirked at her happy expression. She really was too hard to stay away from. Meaning all the more torment for him. Ever since locking himself in the medbay Ratchet had been overly aware of Cameron and what she was doing. At meetings, which he only went to so he could be near her, he studiously ignored her only because acknowledging her would be kin to declaring his love before all the others. Which is probably what he would have done in his weakness.

Now looking down at her beautiful face he felt his spark surge with longing. Keeping the emotion out of his optics he focused on something other than her. His gaze slipped to the tools in his workbench, all of them had to be cleaned and a few needed upgrades. His optics swept over the pair of energy restraints Jazz had brought in to be repaired. His excuse had been that Barricade had been overly violent. Ratchet suspected something more along the lines of Jazz, Bumblebee and a berth.

A small hand touched his side and Ratchet was overcome with images both related to and yet different to his previous thoughts.

Cameron's eyes widened as images of Ratchet hand-cuffed to a bed with optics bright with desire flooded her head. Quickly pulling away from his leg, she looked up at him. "Oh, wow."

Ratchet looked away, obviously embarrassed.

"Doc-bot's got a kinky side. Don't worry, I won't tell." She winked.

Smiling, she left the medbay to join Optimus Prime and the others.

* * *

**Whatcha think? Review, let me know :)**

**TammyCat**


	29. Chapter 29

**Hi all, how are you? Good? Excellent!**

**Now that the pleasentries are out of the way I would like to extend my thanks to the awesome people who reviewed. You make doing this so much more rewarding. Thank you.**

**Just about everyone commented on Ratchet's kinky-ness. I hope I keep you as enertained as thoughts of him in cuffs seemed to.**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Chapter 29**

Optimus Prime waited patiently for his Autobots to appear. Behind him Barricade shifted on his feet. The Decepticon was obviously uncomfortable with the situation. Optimus didn't blame him; most Decepticons would have terminated themselves before turning to an Autobot for help, but with Cameron following him and acting as his conscience Prime wasn't surprised that barricade had finally broken.

Cameron sauntered through the doors with Ratchet close behind her. The medic's normally wry expression was gone and replaced by an unreadable one. Optimus had noticed Ratchet's strange behavior but had put it down to the increased tension between him and Cameron. Although there didn't seem to be any tension there now.

Next came Frenzy scrambling across the floor and up to Barricade's shoulder. The large mech welcomed his Companion back with a small smile and whispered words.

Bumblebee, Jazz and Slider were quick to follow. They nodded to Optimus before making themselves comfortable. The only one they were waiting for now was Ironhide.

There was a crash and a stream of curses before the doors opened again and Ironhide entered pulling Scorponok along by his tail. The Companion hissed and twisted as it tried to get at Ironhide's hand.

"Scorpy." Cameron called softly.

The small mechs head turned, he whirred happily. Using one of the spikes on his tail he stabbed Ironhide's wrist and, once released, he rushed to curl himself around Cameron.

'Hide yelped and rubbed at the wound and presented it to Ratchet. The medic sighed and welded the puncture closed. Once he was free from Ratchet's care he scowled and sent Scorponok an obviously threatening look, his cannons charged lightly.

"Settle down Ironhide." Prime ordered.

The Weapons Specialist crossed his arms across his chest and growled. "Little scrap-pile. Not worth the bolts he's held together with."

"Some have said that about you Ironhide." Ratchet said smirking.

"Mostly you doc." Jazz grinned.

"I heard Chromia say it once." Bee added happily. Cameron chuckled at the hot look on Ironhide's face.

"I did not call you here to discuss this." Optimus said sternly, they turned to him.

"Heh, what's the score Prime? Who's in the air?" Jazz asked still smiling.

"Are they Autobots?" Bumblebee asked hopefully.

Prime shook his head. "No, they're Decepticons, like we feared."

"I kn-knew it." Frenzy smiled triumphantly, only to get smacked on the head by Slider. Prime glared warningly and continued.

"They are a pair of Seekers known as Thundercracker and Skywarp."

"I know them." Bumblebee exclaimed. "They've put holes in my armor more than once."

"Tell us what you know about them Barricade." Cameron ordered gently. The black and white Decepticon looked unhappy but obeyed.

"'Cracker and 'Warp are a team. TC has the ability to produce a sonic boom, Skywarp can teleport. They were a part of Starscream's elite forces when he was still in command."

"And now that both Starscream and Megatron are deactivated what do you expect they will do?" Optimus asked.

"Whatever they want. But as soon as they see any of you, they will fight. They're trained to destroy Autobots."

"Then we can't be the first ones they see." Ratchet said.

"We can't let them roam unchecked." Bee replied.

"Of course not. I wasn't suggesting that."

"We need to get them here to void them doing anything that might cause the human government to delay or prevent out departure." Optimus added.

"If Barricade approached them first they might not be suspicious." Jazz said.

They all turned and looked at the silver mech. Jazz was the most opposed to letting Barricade be free. Why was he giving him a chance to rejoin his comrades?

Cameron watched him curiously. Why would Jazz go from throwing Barricade into a cell to handing him the key?

Jazz didn't leave them wanting. "If we can convince Barricade to be loyal to us then he could lure the Decepticons here and we can go from there."

"Interesting plan Jazz." Prime rubbed at his chin, contemplating.

"'Cept we need the 'Con to change sides."

"The '_Con_ is standing right here." Barricade said sourly.

Ironhide lifted his cannon to Barricade's head and continued talking. "Making him say he'll do it isn't the hard part. Gettin' him to keep his word is."

"I think you're doing a fine job right now 'Hide." Cameron said. "But maybe we should try and do it without threatening his life."

The Weapon's Specialist looked at Barricade and slowly lowered the cannon. "It's the only way they know how to do business."

"Still, time to change tactics. Barricade will you help?"

"Why should I? I told Prime what you wanted me too. Why do you need me?"

"'Cause I'll send you to Oblivion if ya don't." 'Hide snarled.

"Ironhide! I said change tactic."

Prime stepped forward. "Cameron has a point. It's not the Autobot way to force our beliefs onto others. Barricade must make this decision on his own." He turned to the Decepticon. "Barricade, I'm not going to ask you to join the Autobots, although that option is open to you should you ever feel like being a Decepticon is no longer what you want. I would like to know whether you will help us contain the threat the other Decepticons pose."

"Why should I?" Barricade repeated.

Optimus stopped an outburst from Ironhide with his hand. "Because if they arrive and are allowed free reign over this planet, our cover will be broken and we may never be allowed to leave. At the moment the humans are only tentatively permitting us to operate with restrained freedom. If they find out that war-mongering soldiers are about to land they may decide that we are worth more as research materials than as potential allies."

Barricade tilted his head and remained silent, on his shoulder Frenzy looked into his face and next to Cameron, Scorponok's attention was focused on the Decepticon. Cameron could feel a buzz in the air as communications were exchanged and wished, not for the first time, that she had her broadcasting ability back. Frenzy nodded rapidly and faced Cameron, above her head Scorponok nodded slowly and wrapped himself tighter around her.

"Okay boys, what just happened?"

Barricade turned to face her. "We were discussing our options, as Decepticons we must make a joint decision."

"But Scorpy's not a Decepticon anymore. Are you?" She tipped her head back and gazed into his red optics. Scorponok looked indecisive and jerked his head towards Barricade.

Barricade answered the Companions unspoken plea. "He still wears the Decepticon insignia and emits our signal. For all points and purposes he is a Decepticon."

Cameron frowned and sighed. This was not turning out very well. "Fine. What did you decide?"

"We will h-help you, b-but only b-because we wish to ret-turn to Cybertron-n." Frenzy replied.

Prime nodded, he'd obviously expected an answer like that. "Very well. We will meet again tomorrow and organize a plan. Dismissed."

Everyone escaped the control room. Barricade disappeared to his previous quarters with Frenzy and Scorponok while Ironhide, Jazz and Bumblebee went outside. Cameron was hoping to spend more time with Ratchet only to turn around and see him hurrying towards his medbay, obviously trying to put lots of room between her and him. Scowling, she leaned against the wall and listened to the medic's retreating footsteps. _Damn him! Why was he being so distant?_

A small poking at her left leg made Cameron abandon her frustrated thoughts. Looking down she saw Slider with her hand raised to poke again. Cameron lowered a hand and the little red femme climbed up to her shoulder.

"Hi sweetie, I feel like I haven't seen you in ages. What's new?"

Slider clicked and whirred cutely before answering. "Not much. I've been spending most of my time with Bumblebee and Frenzy, or playing Age of Empires."

"You really like that game don't you?"

Slider shrugged. "I like the elephants."

Cameron laughed softly. "So, you and Frenzy huh? I guess my intervening didn't hurt after all."

A small frown passed over the red face. "I'm not too sure what's going on in that messed up cpu of his. First he said that we couldn't be together because of the threat from other Decepticons and next he's offering to come for joy-rides with me and Bee. He's confusing."

"They always are." Cameron smiled and sighed softly, thinking of Ratchet.

Together they walked from the control room and towards the main hangar. In silence they made themselves comfortable at Cameron's dining table.

"So, how are you feeling?" Slider asked suddenly.

Cameron looked at her surprised. "Why?"

"You were with Ratchet. Is there a problem?"

Cameron shook her head. "No. Just Ironhide, he almost shot me again."

"What!?" Slider's optics widened. She surged to her feet. "I'll dismantle his guns."

"Calm down sweetie, Ratchet saved me before I was reduced to a smoking heap."

"Hmm, he's good at that, but I don't think you would have died if Ironhide _had_ hit you."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, remember the last time he shot you? Instead of turning into a pile of ash, you turned to metal."

"So I'd be full metal if he had hit me this time?"

"Maybe." Slider shrugged.

Cameron shrugged. "It'll happen eventually. My hips are already gone."

"All of it?" Slider asked. Cameron nodded. "When did that happen?"

"The metal just kept spreading after I helped you with Frenzy, and then just before I had a little meeting with Barricade. I'm surprised that Ratchet hasn't noticed."

They fell silent, each one focused on their own thoughts. Cameron's head was full of a certain medic, while Slider's was occupied with a small silver assassin.

Desperate for a distraction, Cameron turned to the little femme. "Wanna play AoE?"

"Oh yeah. Let's go." Slider jumped to her feet.

* * *

The control room was full again the next afternoon. Prime was quiet as his troops made a racket. The only other one silent was Ratchet, his optics rested steadily on Cameron. Optimus felt that a discussion with the medic would soon be required. It was not one he would be looking forward to.

Pushing that thought away, Prime called the room to order. "As you all know there will soon be Decepticons landing here on Earth. Barricade has agreed to help us bring them under control. But we need a plan and I'm open to suggestions."

"Well, Barricade has to go in first." Jazz said.

"He'll need to take Frenzy with him." Bee added.

"I'm going to." Cameron declared, catching their attention.

"What? Why?" Ratchet demanded.

"How else are we going to get them here without causing a scene?"

"How will you prevent that?" Bumblebee asked.

"The same way I control the rest of you, through your sparks."

"If that is your choice." Prime said.

A short burst of Cybertronian came from her side. _#I'm going if you are.#_

Cameron smiled and placed a hand on his broad head, a brush of gratitude flowed from her to the Companion.

"None of us Autobots can accompany you Cameron."

"That's all right Optimus. I have faith in them."

"I don't." Ironhide grumbled. Cameron and Optimus sent him warning glares.

"As soon as they are within secure communications range we'll organize a meeting place." Barricade said warily, bringing them back to the topic.

"That's a start." Jazz replied. "What are you intending to do once they land?"

"Bring them back here?" The dark mech shrugged.

"That's really detailed, I'm sure no one will fall through the holes in ya plan." Jazz said sarcastically.

"At least I'm trying." Barricade growled back.

Bumblebee stepped between them. "If Barricade can lure them down, Cameron can zap their energy and we can haul them back here."

Prime nodded solemnly. "Good, a plan that's not likely to be ruined by complicated detail."

"Meaning it's able to bend with the circumstance." Jazz quipped.

"Indeed."

"Then that's it? We're agreed?" Cameron asked. Heads nodded around the circle, all but one. Ratchet. The medic glowered and kept his arms crossed over his chest.

"All right then, let's hope Thundercracker and Skywarp are willing to go along with it."

The meeting broke up several minutes later. Jazz dragged Barricade off to go over the momentarily non-existent details. Bumblebee went off with Slider and Frenzy on one of their regular drives. Ironhide left the base, most likely back to the Lennox's farm, and Scorponok disappeared underground with one last nuzzle. Cameron left Prime staring at the monitors in the control room and chased after Ratchet, who was making a break for his medbay. By the time she'd caught up though the medbay doors were closed and locked.

Sighing despondently Cameron trudged back through the base, maybe she would go and work with Barricade and Jazz.

* * *

Cameron spent the next weeks with Barricade, Frenzy and Scorponok learning all she could about the Decepticons. Their laws, beliefs, history and combat stats filled Cameron's head to bursting.

As the days sped past she found that she understood the war-mongering mechs better, she still didn't approve of how they conducted themselves, but she knew now that the behavior was forced on them from the moment they joined the power-hungry faction.

At the moment though she was trying to get Barricade and Frenzy to explain why they had joined the mission to search for Megatron and the Allspark.

"Starscream was our leader and he demanded our attendance."

"That can't be it alone?" Cameron denied.

"Would you prefer us to say that we did it out of the goodness in our sparks?"

"That would be a lie and you wouldn't want to lie to the Allspark, would you?"

"Deception is our way of life. That the Allspark is now as gullible as the Autobots only makes my job that much easier."

Cameron glared playfully at the black Decepticon and stuck her tongue out at him.

"It is good to know that the Allspark is as mature as before." He added dryly.

Cameron raised an eyebrow and cocked her hip. "You're lucky I can't reach you."

"Or what?"

"I'd be playing tetras with your synapses."

Barricade leaned back against the wall. "What's stopping you? You are the Allspark, creator of all aren't you? Why are your powers restricted to physical interaction only?"

Cameron folded arms and shrugged. "Ratchet put something in my head that stops me from using my powers mentally. It also shields my energy signature."

Barricade glanced at the data pads infront of him, his face plates bunched in thought. "Is that why we couldn't sense the Allspark when Starscream had you?"

Cameron nodded. "Slider's protected too."

They fell into silence as they studied their respective documents. Cameron was the first to break. Although she was unsure how to phrase her question it was one that had been digging at her during her lessons in Decepticon culture.

"Barricade, do you have someone special back on Cybertron?"

The big mech looked up in surprise, his optics narrowed suspiciously. "Why?"

"Just curious. I know Optimus and Ironhide have partners up there. I was merely wondering if Decepticons made the same kind of attachments."

Barricade shifted and cast a look at Frenzy, who was currently working with Slider at a computer in a corner.

"Like any others we have the emotions and the ability to maintain a partnership, but creating such alliances are dangerous. The most successful one I ever saw was between Blackout and Scorponok, and that was only because they shared a symbiotic existence. But should an alliance be made with a potentially disadvantageous partner, the consequences are undesirable. The match is broken by others of the faction."

"Broken, how?" Cameron asked even as she knew the answer would not be one she liked.

"By deactivating the undesirable one."

His words were like ice in her heart. "And that would happen if an Autobot and Decepticon were 'allied'?" She watched the pair in the corner.

"Yes. You are obviously aware of the situation I am referring to."

Cameron nodded. "Is there anything we can do to stop anything happening to them?"

"Apart from breaking their alliance ourselves? Nothing."

Cameron looked up at him sharply. "I won't break her heart like that."

"Then you can let them be together for this short time because once the other Decepticons find out, someone will die." Barricade replied somberly. Cameron cast a worried look at the minibots.

Excusing herself from their meeting she set off through the base, Slider and Frenzy's situation heavy in her thoughts.

There had to be something they could do. Maybe Frenzy could become an Autobot? Unlikely, especially since he followed Barricade and the burly Decepticon didn't show any signs of wanting to change sides. Reach with the Allspark's energy, Cameron tried to gain some answers from the world around her. Static filled her head as she failed to connect with anything.

Reminded of her earlier discussion with Barricade she altered her course and aimed for Ratchet's medbay.

The door was unlocked and the room was empty. Sighing quietly Cameron climbed onto one of the benches. The medbay, the base, seemed so very lifeless without the grumpy medic prowling through it. She leaned back against the cool metal, it's texture relaxed her. Quietly musing about the absent, Cameron's fingers played lightly over the bench. The metal was smooth, there was no friction between her fingertips and the table.

She suddenly knew that Ratchet's armor would feel the same. Smooth but not cool, he'd be hot. Cameron had stood next to him numerous times and felt the heat radiate off him. A shiver past over her contrary to the imagined warmth of her absent friend.

The large door squealed on its tracks as it was opened. Cameron jerked up to see Ratchet standing in the doorway. They stared at each other frozen. His optics turned wary as he entered the room. Cameron watched him in confusion as he went straight past her and into his office.

What had she done to upset him now? She wished that she had full use of the Allspark's powers, then she'd be able to find out.

Determination set in and Cameron followed the mech into the adjoining room. He was seated behind the desk that had been specially designed and build to transformer proportions, his focus directed at the data pads scattered across its surface.

Not happy with his attention away from her when she had come looking for him, Cameron sent out a tentative energy touch.

Ratchet flinched and tensed as it slid along his shoulder. His optics dimmed as though he was trying to control something inside him.

_He really does hate me. He can't even stand being around me_. She thought woefully, the hurt caused by his rejection welled inside her.

With a choked sob she left the room. She was almost at the door of the medbay when Ratchet's voice stopped her.

"Cameron? What is wrong?"

She spun and looked at him with disbelieving eyes. He was now standing not far from her, his expression one of controlled curiosity.

"You don't want me here…I'll see you later."

She'd only taken a handful of steps before she was plucked from the ground. Cradled in Ratchet's hand, Cameron felt her hurt fade as calm settled in her heart. Just as quickly as he had picked her up Ratchet dumped her on a table.

"What brought you to my medbay when I wasn't here?" he asked, jarring her calm.

_Straight to business_. "I need you to take the power dampener out of me."

His optics watched her intently. "Need to? Why?"

"I want to learn to use all my powers before the Decepticons get here."

"Why are you only asking now? They arrive in ten days."

"I don't know. But it's always best to be prepared right?"

Ratchet looked down at her balefully. "Risking your life in a mission that has the potential to go very badly, very quickly is irrational and stupid."

Cameron smiled softly. "I knew you still cared."

"And why would you doubt that?"

Cameron raised an eyebrow. "You haven't spoken to me or even looked at me since I started working with Barricade, and you're asking why I doubted how much you cared."

Ratchet was silent for a moment before turning away. "You are the Allspark, I'll always care."

Cameron wasn't appeased, she felt her blood heat as her temper grew. Was that the only reason he had spent any time with her?

"Care by varying degrees or just because I'm the Allspark? It's been so long since we've spent any time together that I'm beginning to wonder if you even remember that we were friends." She declared angrily.

She could feel a pain in her temple, no doubt she'd have a massive headache when she was finished yelling at her neglectful medic.

"You do nothing but scowl when I enter a room which you then quickly leave, you say nothing even when I ask you a question. It's like I don't exist to you. The only way I know you're still on base is because Slider tells me. I'm sick to death of this treatment."

Silence rang loudly in her ears as she and Ratchet stared at each other. He hadn't moved an inch since she'd started shouting. Cameron decided that was a good sign, at least he wasn't moving away this time.

"How do your Decepticon lessons go?" Ratchet asked some time later.

"Like you care." She snarled callously, turning her back on him.

"Cameron, showing your immaturity is no way to win an argument."

She spun and glared at him furiously. "We're not having an argument. To do that you need to be talking, which we don't do anymore!"

Cameron didn't need the Allspark to sense Ratchet's desire to escape the medbay and their fight. Why was he still standing there? He could easily throw her out the door or even run away, she wouldn't be able to do anything to stop him.

"What do you want from me Cameron?"

She almost didn't hear his softly spoken words. But she did hear the wealth of emotion in them and knew irrevocably that both of them were hurt by their separation. That she had hurt him further by venting her anger at him made her feel like the worst sort of scum. The desire to fix the rift between them drove her to act. She moved closer to him.

"I want my friend back. I want to be able to harass you and joke with you and be yelled at by you when I've done something stupid. I want my _best_ friend back. Life's not the same without you in it." She looked into his optics and hoped he saw the sincerity of her words.

Ratchet was stunned by the depth of feeling in Cameron's statement. He hadn't realized that she had missed him as much as he'd missed her. He'd thought that she'd been so busy that there was no way that she could have had time to notice he was no longer around her. But here she was, his lovely human-shaped Allspark, declaring that life without him was empty. Unreasonable pride swelled in Ratchet. His shoulders straightened and his chin lifted as though it were her hands making him more important than what he was.

He lowered his head to her level. "I will endeavor to be available to you whenever you desire it." Cameron's smile warmed the centre of his spark. He controlled the jump of longing when she brushed past his hand and pressed against his face. Her eyes were closed as she hugged his cheek.

"I've missed you." She whispered softly, her lips tracing the words across the smooth metal.

Slowly Ratchet pulled away from her. Her eyes shone with tears and warmth. He was caught by the open affection in them.

"I can remove the energy dampener tomorrow. Be here at ten o'clock."

Her smile widened and she nodded. Ratchet helped her off the table and watched as she moved towards the door, with a quick wave she disappeared.

Ratchet leaned heavily against the metal bench. He knew someone was behind him, he knew who it was. He flinched as the mechs distinctive voice broke the silence.

"Told ya I was right. Now stop bein' an aft-head, she needs ya."

Ratchet avoided looking at the silver form as it walked past him and into his office.

* * *

**What did you think? Please Review :)**

**See ya next time,  
TammyCat**


	30. Chapter 30

**Hi all,**

**Hope every one had a great week I'm so happy it's taken me only just over a week to get this one up. The next will probably be a bit longer in coming...sorry.**

**This is technically a filler chapter. Not much towards the plot but some progress for everyone who like the Cam/Ratch pair. ArmoredSoul, you are so very right **

**Thank you to eveyone who reviewed. I keep meaning to thank you personally but I'm lazy. I love you in my heart.**

* * *

****

Chapter 30

Cameron stood infront of her mirror adjusting her skirt and trying to fix her hair which had suddenly become heinously unmanageable. She scowled and dragged the brush through it again.

"What are you doing?"

Cameron jumped and spun to see Slider perched on her bed. Placing a hand over her fast beating heart she glared at the small inquisitive face.

"You scared the crap outta me."

"I can't see why. I've been here for ten minutes, and all of that time you've been primping."

"I'm not primping." Little brow plates rose. "I'm not!"

"Uh huh. And you're also not seeing Ratchet today."

Cameron felt her face flush red. She wasn't sure why but Slider's tone made her very aware that she was trying to make herself look nice. Was Slider right, was she primping? When was the last time she had primped?

Cameron furrowed her brow as she dug through her memories. Oh yeah! It was before her date with Ben before moving to Tranquility. Cameron's hand froze as it pulled the brush through her hair.

A date.

She was behaving as if she were about to go on a date…with Ratchet.

Slowly she lowered her hand and brush and realized that the idea wasn't unwelcome. Wait! When had she started thinking of him like that? It must be because they hadn't spent any time together recently that she was acting like this. There was no way that she could be seriously involved with a giant robot, could she?

Cameron started again as Slider poked her shin and climbed up to her shoulder.

"What time is your appointment?"

"Ten o'clock."

Slider's optics darted to the side. "You might want to go then."

Cameron followed Slider's gaze to her clock. 10:06

"Shit!" Cameron moved Slider back onto the bed and raced out of the room.

Slider chuckled and clambered off the bed. Cameron and Ratchet didn't know how obvious they were being, even Optimus had noticed. Maybe it was time that she intervened with them just like Cameron had with her and Frenzy. Slider might not be able to lock her creator and the medic in a room together but she knew others that could.

With a plan formulating in her mind Slider left the room in search of Frenzy and Jazz.

* * *

"You're late." Ratchet grumbled as Cameron ran through the medbay doors.

"Sorry. I lost track of time." She smiled repentantly.

His return scowl made Cameron smile harder. This was what she had wanted, her surly medic back. Not that he was hers, no he was just a good friend that she was really excited to be near again, and wow, how had she not noticed the gorgeous blue of his optics before?

Startled at where her thoughts were going, Cameron wrenched them back on track, to the procedure. She was getting her Broadcasting back.

* * *

Slider found Jazz loitering in the main hangar. The silver mechs attention, and optics, wandered around the room from the ceiling and walls to the human-sized dining area. He didn't notice her creep up behind him.

"What cha doin'?"

To his credit he didn't seem surprised to see her on the table nearest him.

"Not a hell of a lot. You?"

"I just saw Cam run off to Ratchet's lab."

Jazz laughed. "She's the only one who'd willingly put themselves in his hands when they're fully functional."

Slider nodded. "Yes she is. I'm fairly sure she trusts him with her life, with more than her life, not that she realises it."

Jazz peeked at her from under his visor. "You seein' more than she's showin'?"

"She's not exactly a hard book to read."

Jazz laughed again and collapsed onto a mech-sized chair. "True. But you think there's somethin' goin' on between her and the doc?"

Slider rapped her foot against the table. "Don't play stupid Jazz. I know you've noticed it too."

The silver head nodded. "I have. What are you goin' to do about it?"

"I'm going to get them together, and you're going to help me."

Blue optics studied her curiously. "Am I? What is that you want me to do exactly?"

Slider grinned in triumph, she knew she had won. "First things first. Do you think getting them together would be a good idea?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"If we survive the Decepticons and finally make it to Cybertron, will the mechanoids there care if the Allspark is having it off with her medic?"

Jazz choked on his laughter. _Having it off?_ Where did this kid pick up her vocab? Still snickering quietly he replied. "I'm sure they won't care. They trust Prime's opinion and if he doesn't mind neither will they."

"But Optimus doesn't know, not enough anyway."

"Are you sure? He's wily."

"If he suspects something he hasn't brought it up with Cameron."

Jazz was silent for a moment. "How about this, we get the love-birds together and then deal with whatever fallout occurs."

Slider pondered the suggestion. "Your plan is very risky. What if they aren't ready?"

"You said Cameron was."

Slider nodded. "What about Ratchet?"

Jazz grinned evilly. "I'll make sure he's open to persuasion."

Slider studied the face carefully. She was fairly sure that the silver Autobot was capable of bringing Ratchet around if he had any doubts, but what if the medic didn't want to be swayed. Pushing her uncertainties to the back of her mind, Slider adjusted her seat on the table.

"When do we start?"

"Do you want them taken care of before the Decepticons get here?"

"Yes the sooner the better."

"Well then, I suggest we start today. Where's Cameron now?"

"With Ratchet. He's taking out the energy dampener in her head."

Jazz whistled lowly. "Well that ought to make things more interesting."

"Why?" Slider asked confused.

"As far as I know the Allspark was able to reach inside us when we came into contact with it."

"Yeah she does that. Has done that with most of us."

Jazz nodded. "But since she has the dampener in her head, she can only do it by touching us. The original Allspark could manipulate us even when we were merely in its presence. I think it also has the ability read our thoughts, but I could be wrong. Anyway that's how Bee and I ended up together."

"Really? Do tell, I love a love story."

Jazz nodded and scooped Slider to sit on the larger table infront of him.

"We were part of the Allspark's guard back when it still sat in the city of Simfur. I was watchin' Bee one day while we did out shift in its chamber, feelin' all the things I shouldn't have been feelin'. Suddenly, and I still don't know how it happened but, I was on the other side of the room kissing his neck."

"Scared the spark right out of me." Bumblebee said from behind Jazz.

"You liked it." Jazz replied smugly without turning around.

Bumblebee leaned down. "I did, but it was still startling. I never would have imagined my mentor, the mech I secretly adored to suddenly grab me in the most inappropriate way."

Jazz laughed and reached over the edge of his seat to pull the yellow mech into his lap. Bumblebee may have been bigger than Jazz but that didn't stop the spy from cradling him.

"That's very touching guys but how is it going to help our plan?"

"What plan?"

Jazz ignored Bumblebee's question. "Well if Cameron's broadcasting comes back online she should be able to read Ratchet's mind."

"What plan?" Bee repeated.

"We're goin' to set up the docbot and mini-spark."

A frown crossed Bee's face. "Is that a good idea?"

"Why?" Slider and Jazz asked together.

Bumblebee shrugged. "They might not be ready for a situation like that. Especially with the Decepticon threat so close."

Jazz and Slider looked at each other. Were they getting in over their heads with trying to match-make Cameron and Ratchet?

"But she likes him so much." Slider defended.

"Are you sure she likes him in that way?"

Slider sent him a dry look. "I've heard her talking in her sleep. She likes him _that way_."

"What's she been sayin'?" Jazz asked curiously.

"All I'll tell you is that it includes moans and his name. You don't want to know the rest. I didn't want to know but sleeping next to her doesn't let me escape."

Jazz and Bumblebee had to hide their laughter, Slider scowled.

"At least we know she won't mind." Jazz said after he'd calmed down.

"But what about Ratchet?" Bumblebee asked.

"That medic has always been hard to read. I think the best way to find out is to ask him."

Bee looked at him. "And you think he's just going to tell us?"

"Yeah."

"You realize that would be admitting that he has desires for the life-blood of our planet and the creator of our race. A veritable god."

"No. It would be him admitting that he has desires for a femme. A very powerful femme, yes, but a femme none the less."

Bumblebee looked askance at his lover but said nothing more. Their pain would go one of two ways; it would either work magnificently and Cameron and Ratchet would be forever paired, or it would fail horribly, leaving them confused and humiliated.

Bumblebee prayed it was the former.

Slider jumped up and down to catch their attention. "Why don't we wait for Ratchet and Cam to finish and then ask him?"

Jazz agreed and lifted the little femme onto his shoulder. The trio had just reached the hallway when Barricade's head appeared in a doorway.

"Jazz, you wanted a battle-plan?" His tone made it clear how he felt about the situation.

"Yes I did. Show me." Jazz transferred Slider into Bumblebee's shoulder and smiled at them. "This will only take a moment."

* * *

Cameron climbed onto the human-sized examination table that had been placed on top of the lowered mech-sized berth and settled her skirt comfortably around her.

"This procedure will be far more complex than when I installed the energy dampener." Ratchet said as he stepped closer to the table.

"All right. Do what you've got to do." Cameron leaned back against the firm pillows. Closing her eyes she relaxed, happy that her friendship with Ratchet was more or less back on track, ignoring the inappropriate thoughts that had flitted fleetingly through her mind.

The comforting hum of equipment and the slight whoosh of Ratchet's hydraulics lulled her into a semi-conscious state. She was in that strange place between awake and asleep when she felt the disturbance.

She jumped when a pair of smooth, firm hands appeared on her arm. Eyes flashing open, Cameron found herself looking into an extremely handsome face. She was momentarily stunned by the perfect angles of this strangers face before she recalled that she didn't know him.

"Who the hell are you?" She demanded as she tried to get off the table.

The gorgeous face split with a grin and Cameron was rendered stupid. Perfect white teeth framed by soft looking lips. Cameron had to consciously move her gaze away from those kiss-me lips and back to his eyes. Electric blue.

"Who _are_ you?" This time it was more breathy than indignant.

"If you would stop struggling, we can get this examination over. I'm sure you want this over as much as I do."

If Cameron had been wholly Cybertronian she would have malfunctioned big time.

"Ratchet!?"

Mr Perfect nodded.

"What? How? Huh?" She said not quite eloquently.

"Cameron, relax. This is merely a hologram. It will enable me to perform the more intricate procedures. Would you prefer to get use to this form by a regular examination first?"

Cameron nodded mutely, unsure that if she spoke, anything intelligent would emerge.

The large warm hands moved to her shoulders and pushed her back down. They then began to move in the very professional way all doctors seemed to have, sliding over arms and down legs to be sure that all bones were in their appropriate position and shape.

There was something about having a attractive mans hands on your body that was so very delicious, even if it was a medical exam. Plus it didn't hurt that this particular hottie was a good friend of hers. Although that should have made it more uncomfortable, as it was Cameron was having a hard time ignoring the nice sensations Ratchet's hands were inadvertantly causing. His fingers slipped under the edge of her skirt to the back of her knee. Cameron's heart beat skipped and started thundering in her chest. Surely Ratchet could hear it. She blushed as she thought of how her reactions were being recorded by the medic.

"You look flushed Cameron. Are you all right?"

Cameron's eye's opened to see that beautiful face hovering over hers, it's expression curious. The urge to pull Ratchet close and kiss him hit her like one of Ironhide's pulse charges, and she had been felled by them before.

Cameron's mind conjured an image of them wrapped in each others arms. Closing her eyes again Cameron tried to understand why she was suddenly feeling like this. Ratchet's hand moved softly over her calf. Her limbs trembled as heat spread through her and she forced herself to stay still, if she moved now she would do something very very stupid.

"Cameron, your body's systems have increased. Are you in pain?"

Cameron smothered a groan, it wasn't pain she was feeling. How could he ask that question while touching her neck like that? Did he really not realize what he was doing to her?

Opening her eyes again she found Ratchet's gorgeous blue eyes inches above hers.

With a muttered oath Cameron gave in to her urge. Her hands leapt up from their death-grip on the bench and landed on the sides of his face. Pulling his head down, Cameron touched her lips to his. She sighed as she found out that they were as soft as they looked and twice as sweet.

Expecting the man to pull away any moment, Cameron arched up slightly and pressed against him wanting to get as close as she could before he disappeared.

Her heart nearly exploded when his arms wrapped around her and his lips moved over hers. Sighing happily Cameron slipped her hands up into his hair. Oh Primus! Even his hair was heaven. It was soft and smooth and just long enough to curl her fingers into.

It would occur to Cameron later that Ratchet had known exactly what he had been doing. But at the moment she was only thinking about the man in her arms.

Cameron didn't let Ratchet go as she moved into a sitting position, her knees on either side of his hips. She heard a groan that could have come from either of them as she opened her mouth to his probing tongue.

Lost in the bliss of his embrace Cameron didn't notice the medbay door opening or the gasps that followed. She did notice though when the hard body she was leaning against disappeared. Lurching forward she almost fell off the table but was saved by a large metal finger. Breathing heavily, she looked up at the mech attached to the finger. His attention however was not on her but the doorway. Turning her gaze that way she encountered the surprised optics of Jazz, Barricade, Bumblebee, Slider and Frenzy.

Jazz broke the silence. "Hey Ratch, can I have a check-up like that?"

He received a smack on the back of his head from Bumblebee and a scowl from Ratchet.

Barricade, Slider and Frenzy were still staring at Cameron with mixed expressions and she was beginning to feel a little self-conscious.

"Unless you all have some pressing business that requires you to loiter in my doorway, I suggest you leave. I have work to do."

"Of course doc, don't let us interrupt you. Bumblebee and I were just off to do some '_work'_ ourselves.' A playful expression appeared on Jazz's face, he grabbed Bee's head and kissed him soundly.

Cameron flushed and pulled away from Ratchet's finger. Humiliation descended as her face went pure scarlet. Jumping off the table she landed with a thud and quickly escaped the medbay. She could hear their voices calling for her to come back but ignored them and kept running.

* * *

Ratchet glared at the mechs invading his medbay. His bad mood a mixture of frustration and rejection.

"Now that you have chased Cameron away, what do you want?"

"It wasn't us that scared her." Barricade replied glowering.

"W-what were you d-doing!?" Frenzy demanded from his perch on Barricade's shoulder. Slider gripped the silver Companions hand to stop him from falling. A small hidden smiled lifted her face plates.

Jazz chuckled. "Gropin' the Allspark probably isn't the best move doc…Hands up who's going to tell Prime."

"Say anything and I'll remove your interface components." Ratchet growled and pushed passed the small group. Jazz and Bumblebee called out to him but he ignored them.

* * *

Following Cameron proved harder than he expected. She wasn't in her quarters, the control room, the bathing quarters or the kitchen. Ratchet even stuck his head outside and peeked at the practice range.

Ratchet's mind looped over and over the events in the medbay. It had probably been wrong of him to take advantage of Cameron's lowered defenses but he hadn't been able to control himself, she had been so soft and sweet looking.

Ratchet could clearly remember the point where his self-control had snapped; when he had ran his holographic hands over her legs. His cooling systems kicked in to return his rapidly heating chassis to its normal temperature.

How was it that she had so much control over him even when she was nowhere to be seen?

The mixed frustration of his unfulfilled desire and being unable to find Cameron made Ratchet twice as surly as he usually was. At that moment he would quite happily dismember any mech that looked at him wrong.

His behavior must have registered as strange because the only one he wouldn't hurt confronted him. Optimus Prime. His leader stopped him right in the middle of a corridor and asked if he was all right. Effectively evading answering truthfully Ratchet escaped, by promising to join Prime in his office later for a 'chat' before Optimus could question him further.

He prowled though the base one more time before giving up and returning to his medbay. Hopefully she would come out of hiding and see him.

* * *

**Was it a good filler? Please review, let me know **

**TammyCat**


	31. Chapter 31

****

Hey all,

**Sorry once again this has taken me some time to put together. Thank you to my reviewers. I'm so glad that you liked what's happening between Cameron and Ratchet, there's to come...soon.**

**Enjoy!**

**Once again, this chapter is focused on Cameron and Ratchet. **

* * *

**Chapter 31**

Cameron huddled behind a set of crates in a storeroom. She pulled her knees closer when she heard Ratchet calling her name. He didn't stop to look in the storeroom but Cameron didn't relax her guard until the pounding of his footsteps disappeared.

What had she done? She'd kissed Ratchet. Kissed him while he was doing a medical exam. The poor mech had probably been so shocked. Her stomach tightened painfully as she realized that Ratchet hadn't been kissing her back but trying to get her off.

Cameron buried her head in her arms as shame and confusion descended on her. This couldn't possibly get any worse. But it did, others had seen. Cameron groaned and prayed that a hole would open up and swallow her. How could she look any of them in the face when all she would be thinking about is that they had seen her taking advantage of Ratchet?

* * *

Cameron was still in the storeroom several hours later when the light coming through the windows started to fade.

Finally deciding that she could leave her temporary haven, Cameron scooted from behind the crates and peeked around the door. After making sure that the hallway was clear she stuck close to the walls as she quickly made her way to her quarters. She wouldn't be safe there for long but she could grab some things and hide elsewhere for a while until her humiliation had died down. Maybe back in the storeroom.

She was skirting the control room when a voice broke through her stealthy progress.

"Why are you avoiding him?"

Cameron whirled to see Jazz leaning against the wall behind her.

"How did you do that? I didn't even hear you."

"I'm a spy. Being sneaky is what I do."

"But I thought Bee was a spy?"

"He is. You didn't think that the Autobots had only one spy did you? Who do you think trained him?"

"So yours is a student/mentor thing that went weird?" She teased.

"There's nothing _weird_ about our relationship." Jazz groused. Cameron smiled. "I didn't track you down to talk about me and Bumblebee." Her smiled died. "Why are you avoiding Ratchet? He's been looking for you for hours. Prime's going to notice something is wrong if you don't show up soon."

"Optimus doesn't know?"

Jazz slanted her a look. "Did you really think we were going to tell him Ratch was feelin' you up?"

Cameron blushed because that was exactly what she had thought, except for one difference.

"It wasn't Ratchet's fault." She said quietly, half hoping that he didn't hear her.

Jazz just laughed. "If Ratchet doesn't want something to happen it won't."

She frowned, confused. "What are you saying? He wanted to kiss me?"

"I'm just sayin' that he's a mech that doesn' let others take advantage of him."

Cameron just shook her head at him. "He doesn't think of me like that. I'm the Allspark and he's the CMO."

Jazz must have picked up on the disappointment in her voice. "How do you think of him?"

"I don't know. I was sad when he wasn't around and happy whenever he looked my way." She dropped her head into her hands. "I'm so pathetic."

"You're the only Allspark who would think that."

"I'm also the only Allspark to make out with a transformer."

"True." Jazz agreed.

"But the last one couldn't walk or talk or have the feelings you have."

Cameron jumped and turned to find Bumblebee behind her. "How?"

"I trained him well." Jazz said proudly. Bee smiled back and stepped closer.

Swallowing the rest of her surprise, Cameron frowned at the pair infront of her. "Look guys. I'm not really sure what you are trying to do here but the possibility of me and Ratchet is not going to happen. It's more likely that Starscream or Megatron will come back from the dead."

"Hey don't joke about that. You have the power to make it real." Jazz said sobering.

Cameron looked at her bare feet. She wished with all her heart that a match between her and Ratchet could be possible. She wasn't quite sure when she had fallen in love with the grumpy medic but the recent events had caused her emotions to explode within her. Of course she had always loved him, but only as a friend. That had just been 'love' not 'in love'. When had her platonic love turned more heated?

"Ratchet's not in love with me." She said half coking on her tears.

"But do you love him?"

Cameron was silent for a moment. "Yes."

Turning her back on the two she started walking, following the line of the hall to her room.

Jazz and Bumblebee watched as she walked away.

"Did you get it?"

"Of course."

Bumblebee pulled a small device from behind his back and passed it to Jazz. Pressing a small button a thin crackle of static buzzed before real sounds emerged.

'_But do you love him?...Yes.'_

"What are you going to do with it?" Bee pointed to the recording device.

"I'm going to make Ratchet listen to it."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"I'll tell him that I'll give Prime the recording." He replied smugly.

Bumblebee's optics widened. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea Jazz."

"Why not? If the docbot thinks that we're going to out him to Optimus he'll spill to Cameron."

"And if he doesn't believe you?"

"We really tell Optimus."

Once again Bumblebee felt a great deal of uncertainty over his lover's plan. Should it go wrong they may end up making a mess of Ratchet's and Cameron's lives.

Bee was about to voice these concerns when he looked up to see the silver mech had already started walking away. Hurrying to join Jazz again Bee pushed his doubt's aside, Jazz's plan usually worked.

* * *

"What do you two want?" Ratchet asked grumpily.

Jazz shrugged and lounged against one of the berths. Bumblebee smiled sheepishly and glanced at his bonded. Ratchet narrowed his optics suspiciously. These two never did anything without a reason, at least Jazz didn't.

"You what something, what is it?"

"What makes you think that doc?" Jazz asked lazily.

"You never do anything without a reason." He replied, repeating his thoughts.

"Aww I'm touched that you know me so well." The silver mech crooned, a hand touching the armor over his spark.

"What do you want?"

Jazz shrugged again causing Ratchet to transform his hand into a large power saw. He lifted it threateningly and Jazz laughed at the same time as moving away.

"Chill Ratch. We just came to talk about Cameron."

Ratchet froze and changed his hand back to normal. "What about her?"

"What are you goin' to do?"

"About what?" The medic asked innocently.

Jazz sighed in exasperation. "We caught you on the verge of interfacin' with her. What do you thing we're askin'?"

If Ratchet had been able to blush he would have. "My plans are just that _mine_, and nothing requires me to share them with you."

"She's the Allspark. Her fate concerns us all." Bumblebee retorted.

"Yes, she is the Allspark." Ratchet agreed with solemnity.

He turned away from them, he didn't see Bumblebee look to his lover or Jazz shake his head in defeat. His thoughts were focused on Cameron and what she had come to mean to him. He had first mistaken his feelings for her as the deep-seated respect he had always carried for the Allspark and its powers, but something had tugged at him and played with his thoughts until he'd realized the affection growing inside him was closer to Ironhide's regard for Chromia than anything mildly respectable.

Now here he was trying to explain and deny his feelings to the two most love-struck mechs in the Autobot ranks? He knew what he'd felt and he'd be slagged if he let them think anything but the truth. Damning the consequences he swung around to face the couple.

"Cameron is more than just the Allspark; she is a sentient being with thoughts and opinions. She is capable of true and deep feelings like some of our race aren't."

Jazz grinned and winked at Bumblebee.

"What was that for?" Ratchet asked.

"We just had a bet goin'."

Ratchet regarded them curiously. The Twins were more prone to gambling than Jazz and Bumblebee.

"And who won?"

"Cameron."

Ratchet froze. Why would Cameron be making bets with these two? And what was the bet about? Hiding his growing dread he looked at them impassively.

"Come on Ratch, you know that look won't work now. We know you want her in the sheets."

He frowned. "You've been spending too much time with the humans."

Jazz responded with a detailed stream of Cybertronian, describing many things that weren't physically possible and some that were illegal in several parts of Cybertron.

Ratchet growled even as he tried to hide his embarrassment at Jazz's crude language. Years as a field medic and then as an officer meant that he's heard some of the most colorful curses and statements in several galaxies and he had never been affected by them, but hearing those same words used in reference to the one he loved made him angry.

"Say that again and I'll make sure you never utter another word."

Jazz nodded and grinned. "I have just one more thing to say." He fiddled with something by his hip. A soft crackle was followed by a bad recording of Jazz and Cameron's voices.

"_Ratchet's not in love with me."…"But do you love him?"…"Yes."_

The medic was silent, shocked. He barely registered Jazz placing the device on the bench of him and Bumblebee retreating to a spot near the door.

His processor whirled with the recording and the subsequent feelings that flooded him at hearing Cameron say those words.

Desperate to be sure that his audios were not deceiving him he picked up the small device and pressed a button.

"_But do__ you love him?"…"Yes."_

A shuddering gasp escaped his vents as he absorbed her confession. He turned swiftly to face the couple in the corner.

"When did you get this?"

Jazz shrugged lazily. "Fifteen or twenty minutes ago."

Ratchet scowled. "Why didn't you bring it sooner? Why didn't she say anything earlier?"

"Why didn't you tell her that you loved her before she ran away?" Jazz countered.

Ratchet narrowed his optics. "Would it have made a difference?"

Bumblebee sighed in exasperation. "She's human Ratch. She still has her energy dampener installed. She can't read your processor without some help. Go, find her and tell her."

"What about Optimus?"

"You can deal with Optimus after there's no turning back." Jazz grabbed Bumblebee's hand. "That's what we did."

"Yes, I remember. And do you remember how much trouble you got in for that?"

Jazz laughed. "We only got in trouble 'cause Prowl caught us in his office."

Ratchet made himself a promise to purge the image now forming in his mind. But he'd do that later, now he had to find Cameron.

* * *

"This is ridiculous." Slider growled as she scrabbled at the edges of the door. "Cameron! Let me in!"

"Go away." Came the muffled response from inside.

Slider scowled at the piece of solid steel that separated her from Cameron. It had taken her two hours to finally track Cameron down, only to find out that she'd locked herself into a solitary confinement chamber of the humans' brig.

Slider gave the door one last kick before stalking out of the brig. She had to find a way to lure, or force, Cameron out of hiding. Ratchet should be able to help her…then again maybe not. Cameron hadn't seemed all that happy the last time the medic had been near her, despite the fact that Slider knew her true feelings. Running blindly out of a room wasn't usually a positive response.

Jazz's last plan had caused that undesirable scene, so she wouldn't be going back to him. Bumblebee was with Jazz, enough said.

Talking to Optimus about the situation wasn't high on her to-do list either. That would be a very awkward conversation.

She didn't even want to think about Ironhide's reaction to what had happened in the medbay would be and having Barricade's help wasn't even an option.

What was she going to do? Cameron was locking herself away like some mass murderer and Ratchet was sulking and getting more and more surly.

Why couldn't they all just accept their feelings and move on?

There! That would be her plan. If they wouldn't realize it on their own, she would just have to force them. And since she couldn't find a way to get in to Cameron she'd have to start with the medic.

Stalking through the base she mumbled to herself. "Where are you Ratchet?"

_#__Medbay with Jazz and Bumblebee…He has now entered into corridor E, moving towards the main hangar. He'll be there in two minutes.# _A voice above her chattered in Cybertronian.

A startled Slider looked up. Scorponok peered down at her from a thick steel beam.

"How do you know that?"

_#I know lots.#_ The Companion said proudly.

"All right then, where's Prime?"

#_Control room.#_

"Barricade?"

#_Firing range.#_

"Ironhide?"

#_Off base.#_

Slider looked at the Companion in wonder, she was impressed. "How do you know all that?"

_#I watch, listen, monitor.#_

"You're smarter than they think you are."

The brood head moved in a dismissive manner. _#It works for me.#_

Slider grinned. "A lot smarter...Why do you pretend to be so simple?"

_#It's easier to learn secrets when their not being guarded, and who tries to guard against someone who won't understand what their hearing.#_

_Very clever_. "What secrets have you found?"

Little black optics gleamed at her. #_Why should I tell you?#_

"Because."

_#That is not an answer.#_

"Yes it is."

_#Not it's not.#_

Slider huffed. "Just tell me. I'm the Allspark's Companion ain't that enough?"

Scorponok cocked his head and was silent. Slider tapped her foot on the ground waiting for him to make up his mind.

_#I know that Blackout i__s offended by your medic's actions towards the Allspark.#_

"Why?"

_#Had it been a Decepticon who displayed amorous feelings he would have been locked away or deactivated.#_

Slider's optics twinkled. "Is Barricade jealous?"

Scorponok whirred in amusement. _#Hardly. He just feels the distinction between the sides more deeply than others.#_

"Why?"

_#He was friends with many of the Autobots before the war. Only by a slight chance did he join the Decepticons.#_

"How do you know all this?"

_#I watch and listen. I was gathering information for Blackout long before the Allspark was sent away.#_ His head lowered in grief for his Partner.

Slider sensed the change in Scorponok's attitude and tried to boost him up again. "Like I said before, you're far more clever than you appear to be."

The broad head nodded.

"So, tell me more."

_#No, knowing even a small percent of what's in my processors would warp your innocent little mind.#_

Slider huffed in denial but left it alone. She wouldn't force Scorponok to reveal his secrets; she wouldn't want her taken from her. Then again, knowing what he did maybe he could help her.

"With all your supreme knowledge, would you consider helping me?"

A brown brow ridge rose in question.

"I want to get Cameron and Ratchet together."

_#Why should I help with that?#_

"Because it would make her happy. Don't you think she should be happy?"

_#Of course.#_

"Then you'll help me."

He eyed her for a moment. _#How do I know this is the right thing to do?#_

"You're a Decepticon, why do you care if it's right or wrong?"

Scorponok's head reared back in affront. _#She is the Allspark and I have pledged myself to her safety.#_

Slider grinned. "And who would be able to keep her safer than a medic, especially one as crazy about her as Ratchet is." It wasn't a question.

The Companion didn't seem convinced. He waved his tail overhead showing his indecision.

"Would you rather she was with a Decepticon? A mech who would use and abuse her power or one who would protect her with his life?"

_#The Allspark has never taken sides in our war before. She should be unattached.#_

"She's not just a lump of powerful clay. She's human, she has feelings, and most humans eventually find a life mate."

_#She's not like ordinary humans.#_ He pointed out stubbornly.

"She's not an ordinary Allspark either. Is it fair to impose rules on her that she doesn't understand, and rip away everything she's ever known?"

_#Her future is with us not the humans.#_

Slider nodded. "I get that, but she's grown up thinking that one day she'll fall in love and live happily ever after."

Scorponok looked skeptical. #_Does that ever happen?#_

"Probably not but that's what she believes."

The scorpion shifted on his feet, still not giving her an answer.

"I would have thought you'd be happy to help since you treat her like your own teddy bear, cuddling up to her whenever you can."

The head dipped in what might have been embarrassment. _#I'll help you. I just wanted to know why you were doing this. You're very strong-willed when you want to be.#_

Slider smiled, she loved it when she won. "Thank you. We'll start as soon as possible." Scorponok nodded and started walking away. "Hey! Where are you going?"

_#To get started.#_

Slider watched for a moment before following. She ran after him as he scuttled through corridors, her leg struts were hurting by the time they stopped.

Scorponok stalled outside the quarters he shared with Barricade and Frenzy. A quick scan showed that the Companion wasn't inside.

Slider felt Frenzy's absence like a dull ache in her spark, she located him with Barricade. Scorponok caught her attention as he started to carefully remove a large chunk of concrete from the floor. Slider watched in fascination, she had never seen the Companion move with such gentleness.

The missing concrete revealed a wide hole. Slider moved closer to see better. Her movement caused Scorponok to swing around and raise his barbed tail threateningly. The wary expression in his optics told Slider that this was his secret.

"I won't say a word."

Scorponok seemed to take her words as a promise and disappeared down the hole.

Slider darted to the edge and peered into the darkness below. She could see nothing, not even the glimmer of Scorponok's optics. There was no way she could figure out how deep the hole was, meaning that there was a high chance that she would damage herself if she jumped.

Unwilling to be the next one in Ratchet's clutches she called out. "Scorpy?"

A moment later a large claw appeared at her feet. She climbed on and gripped at its edges tightly as it began to move. The claw lowered a lot further than Slider had expected it to.

Finally she felt it land on the ground and greatfully climbed off.

Looking around her, Slider was amazed at the little she could see. Light came through the hole in the floor to illuminate a wide round tunnel. The sides were smooth and halfway down the wall it turned from cement to earth.

Scorponok had burrowed under the base.

The Companion moved over her and disappeared out of the tunnel. Slider squeaked in protest at his abandonment but quieted again when his back end appeared over her head.

She skittered deeper into the tunnel to allow him to complete his business. When the cover was back in place and Slider once again couldn't see past the light given off by her optics, Scorponok moved off down the tunnel.

Slider heard his armor sliding against the walls as he got further away.

"Hey Scorpy, don't leave me here. I can't see anything; Ratchet disabled my infra-red after I cut off the power to his medbay and played 'Murder in the dark' with Frenzy."

She heard a chattering laugh and then light appeared at the end of the tunnel. Now that she could see clearer Slider saw that the tunnel wasn't just wide, it was humongous; tall enough for a car to drive through and wide enough to allow any of the mechs, except Optimus Prime to crawl through. Scorponok was obviously able to move easily.

Looking around for her guide Slider found him several meters away. The light came from a camping lantern from one of his tail spikes. He motioned her towards him with a jerk of his head. Hurrying to catch up with the swiftly moving scorpion Slider leapt and caught hold of the swaying tail. Scaling the armored back she sat down at the juncture of his neck and body. Settling in, she examined the tunnel some more. Scorponok's claw's started to power up and spin. As they moved steadily away from the entrance the walls got more and more rugged. Scorponok must have worn the tunnel smooth every time he entered or exited his hideout.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

_#To get Cameron.#_

"Do you know where she is? Wait, don't worry, that was a stupid question. You know everything." She heard Scorponok's chirr of amusement over the hum of his claws.

They proceeded quickly; Slider barely had a chance to look around her before they stopped infront of a rock wall.

_#You may want to get off.#_ Scorponok suddenly said.

"Why? You leaving me here?"

#No but I have to make a new tunnel and you might get hit by the debris.#

"Oh." Slider knew that she hadn't made to most intelligent response but that didn't matter to her as she climbed off the wide back and hurried to a safe position. Peeking out from behind a rock big and solid enough to protect her Slider watched Scorponok work. She had seen him burrow into the soft sands outside the base before but it was nothing like what he was doing now.

With his tail he supported the roof while his drilling claws made an indentation of how big the new tunnel would be. As he started excavating Slider dodged lumps of earth and cement that sailed over Scorponok's body. His tail braced against the cement ceiling was also used occasionally to fracture the concrete half of the tunnel as well as bigger rocks.

Slider yelped as a block landed on her foot.

"Should I go further back?"

The digging stopped for a moment. _#Yes.#_

Heeding the short piece of advice, she retreated further into the darkness. Soon all she could see of the Companion was his tail and the bobbing lantern. Slider crept along behind him, well out of the way of any wayward rock or other debris. Suddenly Scorponok shut down his claws and scratched at the wall.

_#We're here.#_

Slider smiled and darted forward to see. But she came face to face with another wall of dirt and cement.

"I thought you said we were here. This is rock not Cameron."

_#Above, little one, above.#_

Slider looked up and studied to ceiling. Like all the others it was concrete, but unlike the rest it emitted a low energy signature. They were standing below Cameron's cell. Slider rubbed her hands together like a cliché villain and grinned.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's get her out of there."

Scorponok looked at her for a moment before sighing and bracing his claws against the concrete. Slowly his drill-like claws started to move again. They burrowed upwards, creating a pair of perfectly circular holes next to each other.

Slider monitored the structural strength of the ceiling, they wouldn't want Cameron falling through and hitting Scorponok's dangerously spinning claws.

Although that would get her back to the medbay and Ratchet.

Slider dismissed the idea and focused on the weakening cement. Just a few more feet and they would have Cameron in their laps. The ceiling began to shake as Scorponok got closer to the surface. Cement fell in blocks around them and Slider sought cover under the Companion's wide frame.

All of a sudden fresh air filled the tunnel along with a surprised scream and a soft body.

* * *

What did you think? Please review

TammyCat


	32. Chapter 32

**Hi,**

**I think this is the last of the chapters focusing on Ratchet and Cameron. I apologise if this one is shitty, i ran out of muse. Next time: more Decepticons.**

**Thank you for the reviews.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 32**

The ground beneath Cameron began to shake. She shot up from her crouched position and hunted through the dark for something to hold onto. The walls started to groan as they were forced to shift. The door squealed frighteningly as it was wrenched from its holds.

_Earthquake!_ Cameron thought fearfully.

She scrambled to find a hand hold but the isolation chamber had nothing for her to cling to. Regretting that she had chosen this place for her hideaway she tried to squish herself as far into a corner as she could. Should the walls fall she wouldn't die but she might be in a bit of pain.

She could feel the concrete under her feet shaking terribly. Suddenly the floor gave out beneath her and she plummeted. A scream burst from her throat before she could stop it. Darkness surrounded her just as she landed with a thump against something cool and unyielding.

Cameron groaned as she pulled herself into a sitting position. The thing she landed on was uncomfortable under her, ridged like plating and cool like metal. Shaking away the growing, thudding pain in her head she looked around. The ceiling had caved in but allowed little light into the cavern. Where was she?

A pair of small blue lights appeared below her and off to the side. They got closer and Cameron moved backwards, unwilling to confront whatever strange creature this was.

Unfortunately she moved back too far and fell off the thing she had landed on. Breath rushed out of her lungs and she lay stunned on the hard rock floor. The blue lights followed her, along with the slight sound of metal tapping metal. Still not sure of what was going on Cameron struggled to sit up and scooched back further, scratching her fleshy palm on the sharp rocks.

"Dammit Cameron, stop moving."

Cameron paused in her retreat. "Slider?"

"Good guess." The blue optics came closer and she could see the faint outline of Slider's face.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know…Where are we?"

"Scorponok's tunnels."

"Tunnells?"

A light flared and Cameron squinted as her eyes adjusted. To her right was Scorponok with a lantern dangling over his head.

"I landed on you?" She guessed. He nodded. "Sorry."

Scorponok chirred and inched closer, his optics shone with affection and Cameron stood to cuddle his head to her chest.

"How do we get out of here?"

Scorponok nudged her towards to newest tunnels opening. Cameron reached down and deposited the phone-femme onto the Companion's back .With the lantern hanging over their heads they made their way through the maze of tunnels. Cameron was astounded at the sheer magnitude of Scorponok's endeavor. He had managed to create an access way to every part of the base without weakening its support or integrity.

"Did you make these all on your own?"

The lantern bobbed as Scorponok nodded behind her.

"Such a clever boy." She murmured softly. Slider let out a cross between a laugh and a sigh.

"What were you guys doing down here?" She asked as they walked.

"We came to get you."

"But I didn't want to be got."

Slider sighed. "Locking yourself away so you don't have to face Ratchet is ridiculous."

Cameron felt the heat climb up her face. "I'm not–" She stopped her denial when Slider growled. "Okay, I am avoiding him. So what? I embarrassed myself beyond compare. What do you want me to do?"

"If you think you screwed up so badly why don't you apologize. He'll forgive you and the whole thing can be forgotten." Slider said logically.

Cameron flushed a deeper red, something within her didn't want to forget what had happened even though she knew she should. The consequences of what she had done had been bouncing around in her brain since she'd escaped to the brig. "But what if it's not forgotten and he never talks to me again?"

"Stop freaking out. He won't start that again, I promise."

"How can you be so sure? And I'm not freaking out."

Slider crossed her arms over her minute chest. "Why are you so determined to believe he's going to reject you?"

"Why do you think he won't?"

"Because I saw him after you ran out of the medbay."

Cameron stopped moving and swung back to face her creation. "What?"

"I saw his face after you ran away." She repeated.

"And?"

"He threatened to remove certain parts of us."

Cameron was silent for a moment before whispering. "So he does want me?"

Slider controlled the urge to laugh; she'd probably get turned into something undesirable if she laughed at her creators face. Too bad it was so entertaining watching Cameron behave like a love-struck teen who'd just found out her crush had learned her name.

Cameron frowned at the small, twitching face infront of her. Slider was trying not to laugh, she could tell. A series of small useless items streamed through her brain and she tried to decide which one would be more fun to turn Slider into, an eyelash curleror kitchen tongs?

Her hand reached out to curl around the spindly neck. "Did you want to say something Slider?"

"Of course not." The femme replied sniggering. "Nothing except maybe you should talk to Ratchet."

Something told Cameron that Slider wouldn't stop until she actually did speak to the medic. Her heart pounded with the thought of facing him again so soon, her stomach suddenly gained a nest of butterflies and her head felt light. Maybe seeing Ratchet was a good idea, he might be able to tell her what was wrong with her.

"Fine, I'll say something as soon as I see him next. Happy?"

"Not yet. Where is the medic Scorpy?"

_#Main hanger, moving between the exterior exit and the main passageway.#_

Slider smiled smugly and looked up at Cameron before pointing towards the exit. Cameron scowled at the little machine as the butterflies performed aerobatics in her stomach. She continued to glare at the willful femme and walked through the tunnel's exit. She would deal with the small one later. At the moment she had to finish what she had started with Ratchet.

The memory of what had happened made her knees go weak. Cameron tamped down the feeling; it was unlike her to act this way.

The walk to the main hangar felt far shorter than it usually was. It seemed as though she had only taken three of four steps and then he was there. He was just where Scorponok said he'd be, pacing between the outside door and the corridor. Cameron stopped and took a moment to study the mech while his attention was elsewhere. He was an impressive sight even when he wasn't trying. Tall with broad shoulders and shining armor, he projected confidence and power like others couldn't. He knew his place in the world and he knew he was good at what he did.

Suddenly Cameron wasn't so sure she could go in there. Ratchet was so calm and collected while she was a mess of chaotic emotions. Would she be able to fit into his world?

Behind her Slider coughed loudly and Scorponok's armor scraped against the wall. Her eyes were caught by Ratchet's as his attention was on them. Mentally she promised retribution.

Gathering her courage to do what she knew she had to, Cameron stepped forward. A small smile appeared on Ratchet's face and he moved to meet her. They stopped several meters apart, Cameron's head tipped back so she could look into his face.

"Ratchet, I'm sorry. I didn't want to make yo-"

The air infront of her shimmered and Mr. Perfect stood before her. Cameron was struck again with the pure masculine beauty of his figure and face. Her breath caught as she tried to work her suddenly dry throat. His expression was unreadable but his eyes gleamed with tenderness.

"Don't apologize. You did nothing wrong." Ratchet's smooth voice flowed over her.

Cameron blinked. "You're sure? I thought I'd offended you in some way."

He smiled in a charmingly disarming way. "Positive. Nothing you could do would upset me."

Cameron felt the effects of his smiled down to her very core. She fought to maintain control over her suddenly speeding heart.

"Really? I just thought that because of what happened in the medbay things would be…different."

"Only if you want them to be." His voice was low, beguiling. Her eyes widened as one of Ratchet's hands came up to caress her cheek. "How different is also up to you."

Cameron couldn't speak. The light touch across her face sent spirals of heat through her body. He mind whirled at the change in Ratchet's behavior. Her body betrayed her confused mind as it stepped forward, bringing them only inches apart. Cameron's head tipped back slightly to look into Ratchet's face. His beautiful blue eyes stole her breath as his hand skated down her neck to curl around her nape.

"How different are you willing to behave?" Her question was little more than a whisper.

"Say you don't regret what happened in the medbay and I'll show you."

Cameron swallowed convulsively, trying to bring moisture back to her dry throat. Did Ratchet mean what she thought he did? Was he serious?

Cameron's heart thudded painfully at the thought of him playing a trick on her. Thinking back to what Slider had said about Ratchet while they were in the tunnels Cameron decided that he was too good a mech to do anything so cruel. So, did she dare expose her love for the medic?

Her heart was in her throat as she opened her mouth to answer. Only a whispy squeak came out.

A crooked smile curled his perfect lips and Cameron struggled to remember what she was trying to say. His other arm appeared around her waist. His palm burned through the top she wore. Cameron tried again.

"I regret nothing."

Ratchet's smile grew until only the warmth in it and the sudden flash of triumph in his eyes were all she could see. Then she saw nothing, she could only feel. His mouth settled softly over hers, moving persuasively with all the love and tenderness he could muster. Cameron's hands crept up around his neck to clench in his hair. The hand on her back stroked down her to pull her body even closer against his. Cameron gasped as her body came flush with Ratchet's. The medic took advantage of her surprise to deepen the kiss. Cameron groaned as Ratchet set about devastating her senses even further.

A sharp cough of warning brought them back to reality. Ratchet reluctantly lifted his mouth from hers. His eyes shone with desire and Cameron felt an answering pull of longing in the pit of her belly. A second cough sounded above their heads. Cameron turned in the circle of Ratchet's arms and looked up. Jazz and Bumblebee were watching them. Cameron scowled slightly at the amusement in their optics; she hadn't even noticed that they were in the room.

"What?" She demanded.

"Optimus is coming." Bumblebee replied and nodded to the doorway.

Cameron's eyes widened and she turned back to Ratchet. "What do we do?"

A sparkle appeared in his eyes. "Come with me."

Cameron smiled and nodded, her worry over Prime's reaction fading to nothing. Mr. Perfect disappeared, leaving her smiling at thin air. There was a hiss of moving gears and hydraulics before she was scooped up and Ratchet ran with her out of the hangar.

The remaining bots looked at each other with varying degrees of amusement. Moments later Optimus Prime strode into the room. All optics turned to him and he stopped, stunned by the strangely innocent light in all of them.

"Have any of you seen Cameron?" Heads shook and he had the feeling that they were lying. Ignoring that certainty he continued. "If you happen to see her could you ask her to find me?"

"O'course Optimus. Somethin' wrong?" Jazz asked, his normal cheeky expression returning.

"Barricade has received a transmission from the incoming Decepticons. She needs to begin preparing for their immediate arrival."

"I thought we still had over a week." Slider said from Scorponok's back.

"Apparently Thundercracker and Skywarp are far more anxious to be here than we thought. We have three days."

Sounds of surprise erupted from all vocalisers. Jazz made a violent and rude gesture, Bumblebee's optics dimmed as his frame tensed, Slider stood staring up at their leader in shock and Scorponok stabbed the concrete violently with his tail. Optimus observed this with patience, he waited for them to calm.

"There is nothing we can do but prepare ourselves for their arrival. To do that Cameron must be fully aware of what she will be facing."

"She's been spending hours with Barricade everyday, wasn't that what she was learning?" Jazz demanded angrily.

"She has been studying Decepticon culture. No doubt she had picked up on different facets of Decepticon brutality but she will need to see first hand what may happen."

"What are you suggesting?" Slider asked.

"Barricade has volunteered to demonstrate how Decepticons fight. I believe Ironhide will be aiding him."

"Hasn't she seen enough fighting? Wasn't Starscream's torture enough?" Slider jumped up and down on Scorponok's back in her agitation.

"Starscream treated her like a bargaining chip, not as an expendable pawn. She has not witnessed the true ferocity of a battle." Barricade replied from the doorway. Frenzy sat on his shoulder but abandoned the black mech to joint Slider on Scorponok.

"And you think she should see it now? Wait, why is this even in discussion? You aren't going to be fighting the Decepticons; you're just bringing them here right?"

"I would prefer to be prepared for all eventualities." Optimus replied.

"Exposing Cameron to that sort of violence isn't necessary Optimus." Bumblebee said. "We wanted her to be kept safe from the war, not shown the best way to destroy us."

"She probably already knows how but she would never harm any of us." Slider said with conviction.

"I agree. She should be kept as far from the fighting as possible, but she volunteered to aid Barricade in bringing the Decepticons here."

"That doesn't mean she will see the nasty side." Jazz argued.

Barricade frowned. "They have been without anyone but each other for many years, there's no telling what they will do when we meet."

"You expect them to beat the slag outta you and try to rip the spark from your chest?" Jazz demanded.

"Something like that, maybe."

"They sound like your kind of mechs." He sneered.

"They might be more your type, you've been through that before."

Jazz growled and lunged for Barricade but was held back by Bumblebee. Optimus ran a hand down his face plates muttering lowly about sparklings. When Bumblebee finally got Jazz to stop threatening Barricade's life, Prime spoke again.

"This is not the behavior I expect from you Jazz. Barricade it is not necessary to taunt and harass my officers. Right now is not the time to be squabbling. We have to prepare and we must begin with Cameron."

"Cameron's with Ratchet." Slider said softly. All optics turned to her.

"Thank you Slider. I have already informed Ratchet of the situation, he will tell Cameron."

"Not if he's already busy." Jazz said slyly.

Optimus nodded. "Agreed, but I trust that he will tell her after the procedure is completed."

* * *

Ratchet's hands reverently traced the lines of Cameron's face. His holographic eyes burned with emotion, the devotion and tenderness in his expression nearly caused Cameron's heart to break. She lifted a hand and caressed his cheek.

"What's wrong Ratchet?"

He smiled somberly. "Optimus."

Cameron's eyes widened. "Is he coming? Should I hide?"

Humor crept into Ratchet's serious expression. "No. He contacted me via our comms."

She calmed. "What did he say?"

"Get your hands off my Allspark."

Her eyes widened again. "What!?"

Ratchet laughed, the sound made a home deep in Cameron's heart. "I'm kidding love." She scowled and punched him lightly. "But he did inform me of some rather unfortunate news."

"What is it?"

"The Decepticons will be arriving earlier than we anticipated."

"How much earlier?" Dark dread grew inside her.

"Five days."

Cameron did some quick calculations. "But that only gives us three days until they're here."

"Exactly, so we have to focus."

Cameron nodded and turned her thought towards the Decepticons. "First I need the dampener removed."

"I'll teach you to control and disguise your power."

"It's a plan." She said decisively before hesitating and looking into his face. "But what about us?"

His eyes softened as he smiled. "We'll take care of that along the way."

She smiled as happiness filled her heart. "Good. I don't intend to lose you."

"It would take far more than some Decepticons to get rid of me now that I have you."

He smiled wolfishly and wrapped his arms tighter around her waist. He was about to kiss those tempting lips when she spoke.

"Why are you human?"

He stopped inches above her face. "What?"

"Why are you human? I mean I know this is a hologram, but why is it human? Star scream's wasn't."

"Starscream was an amateur. His ambitions far outdid his abilities. My holoform is human because you are. I chose aspects of male human physicality that females find attractive."

Cameron smiled and peeked at him through her lashes. She was thrilled that he had wanted to look good for her. But she still like his normal form better, there was something slightly intimidating about Mr. Perfect. Maybe it was because he was prettier than she was. Cameron didn't stop to consider that thought, she ran her hands up Ratchet's shoulders until her hands met behind his head. She pulled him the rest of the way down to meet her. Their lips touched and merged. Pleasure radiated from that point of contact but Cameron didn't let it distract her. She stroked her fingers through his hair, just as her mouth opened under his she sent a spike of energy through his hologram to his body. Ratchet tensed against her as the energy found its target. Suddenly Cameron found herself clutching at metal plating. Ratchet lifted his head and she continued to pressed soft kisses along his cheek.

"What did you do?"

Cameron stopped kissing him and smiled. "Nothing."

A brow ridge rose. "Then why is my holoform like my actual body?"

"'Cause I like you like this." The brow rose higher. Cameron shrugged. "You were too pretty the other way."

Ratchet laughed and hugged her closer. Cameron rested her head on his chest, she could 'feel' his spark pulsing.

They stood like that for several moments before Ratchet pulled away and dissolved his holoform. Cameron looked up at him expectantly. He reached down and moved her onto a human-sized berth.

"We've taken too much time. Optimus will come looking for you soon and I want you to have all the advantages you can."

Cameron grinned and lay back on the table. "Do what you've got to do."

She heard Ratchet chuckle softly.

* * *

**What did ya think? Please review, let me know.**

**TammCat**


	33. Chapter 33

**Not much to say this time except Thank You to BreezesofSpring, StarSwoop & ArmoredSoul for reviewing the last chapter. If you guys have anything you want to happen in these last few chapters, just let me know and I'll try to put it in.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 33**

Cameron collapsed onto her berth, utterly exhausted. Two days of almost non-stop training to control her powers had drained her completely. She hadn't even made it onto the bed properly. Her torso draped more across the bed than along it, with her arms hanging off the other side and her feet still touching the floor with her shoes still on.

With great effort Cameron rolled onto her back, her hips just making the bed to stop her from falling off, and stared at the sheet metal ceiling. Her entire being felt totally out of energy, as though she were a battery that had been run dry. Dimly Cameron knew that her fatigue was all in her head, the Allspark's power couldn't be depleted.

She groaned as her body protested to the movement. Darkness filled her head as sleep overtook her.

* * *

Cameron felt only minorly refreshed when she was awoken hours later by someone moving her onto the bed. She opened her eyes to see a human silhouette standing over her. Her sleep-drenched brain interpreted the unknown person as a threat. She started to move, trying to get away. Her pitiful struggles did nothing but attract his attention.

"Calm Cameron. I'm only trying to make you more comfortable." Ratchet's soothing voice washed over her.

Cameron moaned tiredly and rolled over again. The leg still hanging off the bed tangled with his, causing him to topple onto the bed next to her. Cameron ignored the stammered protest and curled comfortably around the warm body. Her head rested on his chest and his arms wrapped around her.

"Cameron, I only came in to check on you. These last couple of days have been stressful on you."

"You think I care? I'm tired and you're comfy. End of discussion." She replied lazily. His arms tightened around her and Cameron allowed the comfort he was offering to warm her, body and soul.

Burrowing deeper into his chest she let her hand come up and rest on the hard muscles next to her head. As exhausted as she still was Cameron couldn't stop herself from touching him, claiming him as her own.

With a small smile she moved her hand up to his hair, twining her fingers in its thickness. Cameron curled into him. "You're back again. Aren't you going to recharge in your quarters anymore?"

"Of course, but only when you join me. I can't let my spark-mate recharge without me."

"Is that what we are, spark-mates?" She asked curiously. They had never discussed it.

Ratchet down into her face, his blue eyes capturing hers. "Yes, my spark calls for yours and I can't imagine my life without you. I will do everything in my power to make you happy. In my understanding that makes you my spark-mate."

Pleasure rippled through Cameron as she absorbed Ratchet's words. "I feel the same about you. But the only way I know to express it is to say I love you and mean it." She ran hand through his hair while pouring her heart into her eyes. "I love you Ratchet, I always will."

His optics shone brightly for a moment before he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Just recharge, love. You will have to keep your strength up for tomorrow.

"You'll be there?"

He touched her temple. "I'll be here. I'll never leave you."

Cameron smiled and snuggled closer, content to sleep in his arms.

* * *

The next morning Cameron stood with Frenzy and Slider as they finished altering her clothing. She now wore an oversized jumper covered in dirt and tears, her jeans were ruined without being ripped and her top underneath the jumper looked as though Scorponok had taken it on a ride through his tunnels, which he probably had. The overall effect made Cameron look as though she had been thoroughly beaten and abused.

Frenzy stood back looking very pleased with himself. "I th-think that will w-work."

Slider nodded and climbed up to Cameron's shoulder. "All she needs now is for her face to match her clothes."

Cameron looked at Slider from the corner of her eyes. "You're not going to rip my face to pieces."

"Of course not, but you look a little too clean for this to be believable."

Cameron wasn't prepared for Slider's little fist to suddenly crash into her face. Reeling back with a startled and pain-filled cry, Cameron clutched at her now-throbbing eye.

"What was that for?" She demanded, temporarily blind.

"You needed to look more… battered." She could hear the shrug in the femme's voice.

"You could have warned me."

"Then you would have been expecting it, tensed up and I would have hurt my hand."

"You punched me in the face! How could I tense my face?" She squinted open her good eye.

Slider shrugged and leaned closer inspecting her sore eye. "I think I got it hard enough to cause a bruise."

"Hard enough! You almost pushed my eye back into my skull."

"Stop over-reacting, you're still in one piece."

"You won't be able to say the same once I'm done with you." Cameron growled and reached for her creation. Slider leapt away from her and started running. Cameron chased her around the room until Optimus and Ratchet arrived.

"What are you doing?" Ratchet asked as he watched her run.

Cameron stopped her pursuit and turned to the two mechs. "Trying to cause Slider some pain. Do you have a problem with that?"

"What happened to your face?" Jazz asked as he sauntered in behind them, following him was Bumblebee.

"That soon-to-be-dismembered femme punched me."

Before Cameron had a chance to continue her efforts to catch the escaping femme Ratchet scooped her up into his hand and ran a medical scan over face. Cameron waited patiently while the red beam probed her swelling eye. She avoided looking the medic in the face incase she couldn't control what emotions appeared, as it was she had to fight the smile creeping up her lips.

"It is just a surface wound, swelling and some discoloration. You will not be able to use that eye properly for some time, other than that I can detect no lasting damage." Ratchet said as he placed her back on the floor.

"Good." Optimus replied. "Slider, punching Cameron mere hours before she is to face Decepticons isn't very smart."

Slider nodded and produced a repented look on her face. "I'm sorry. But her face didn't match her clothes, I had to do something."

"The same results could have been achieved through alternate methods."

"Such as?"

"Make up." Cameron said aggressively.

"Whatever needs to be done just do it quickly. We still have to get to the rendezvous point before Thundercracker and Skywarp do." Barricade grumbled from his corner.

"Fine. I'll be back in a moment." Cameron scowled at the mechs and flounced out of the room.

She came back carrying her make-up case. She waited for Barricade to transform before loading the box into his backseat. She heard him grumble some more but ignored him. She turned back to the Autobots and gave them a casual salute.

"I'll be back."

Optimus nodded, a faint frown marking his face-plates. "Be safe, you are our survival."

"Down worry so much Prime, you forget, I can't be killed."

She felt Ratchet's wave of love flow through her body and returned it.

* * *

Frenzy stood with Slider on the other side of Barricade, shielded from the others by his body. They said they farewells almost silently so they wouldn't be overheard.

"Be careful okay." Slider whispered, the fear and concern she didn't want to show Cameron was all too visible to Frenzy.

He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't w-worry. Barricade and I will p-protect Cameron."

Slider smiled and traced a hand over his face. "It's not just for Cameron that I'm worried. You throw yourself into fights with no thought of self-preservation."

Frenzy grinned and held her close to him, savoring the pulse of her spark against his. "I didn't know you cared."

Slider hit him on the shoulder softly. "Of course you did. I bonded with you didn't I."

The rest of their goodbye was filled with soft murmurs as they exchanged vows of love.

* * *

Barricade's engine revved, alerting them. Slider smiled at Frenzy one last time before disappearing back to the Autobots.

Frenzy trotted around Barricade's front and stood beside the passenger door. "Shot-gun."

Cameron cursed playfully and climbed into Barricade's backseat. The Decepticon's engine growled powerfully as he tore out of the hangar.

Barricade sped down the rough road towards the highway almost desperately trying to put as much distance between them and the Autobot base as possible. Suddenly a car appeared on either side of him. A sporty silver glitch on his left and a bright yellow bitch on his right. The growl of his engine increased as he tried to out-pace his followers, he swerved all over the road but they didn't give up. Acknowledging that the Autobots wouldn't stop chasing him until he gave them what they wanted, he slowed.

Cameron clutched her make-up case with a death-grip as she was thrown back and forth across Barricade's backseat. What was he thinking? Finally the weaving stopped and Cameron let go of her anchor. It slid across the seat to rest against the door. Heaving a sigh of relief she leaned her head in her hands, preparing to interrogate Barricade. A hand fell onto her shoulder. Cameron looked up quickly to see a young man. An incredibly handsome man. He had high cheekbones, strong jaw-line, sensuous lips and bright eyes peeking out from behind sunglasses. His blue eyes looked even more striking against his dark skin.

"Get out!" Barricade's voice barked from the radio. The two in the backseat ignored him.

"Hey Cameron."

"Jazz?" She gaped.

"The one an' only. We didn't get to wish you good luck so we followed."

"We?" She asked dazedly. The Jazz-hologram gestured to her other side. Cameron twisted around to see an extremely cute blonde sitting on top of her make-up case, his head lay uncomfortably along the roof. "Bee?"

The blonde nodded and smiled and Cameron was stunned again by the gorgeousness of these guys. If they were standing next to each other they would drive girls' crazy, that said, those girls would have heart attacks if they saw these guys do half of what she knew Jazz and Bumblebee did. Why did all their holograms have to be so good-looking?

"What are you two doing here?"

"Saying goodbye and good luck." Bumblebee replied.

Cameron smiled. "You make it sound as though I'm not coming back."

"Well if that happens, there'll be no where on Earth or any galaxy that Barricade will be able to hide from us, especially Ratchet."

"Get out of me now!"

"Stick it in neutral Barricade, we won't be stayin' long." Jazz said and stroked the armrest calmly. A thunderous growl echoed through the car, Cameron felt it in the seat.

She sent Jazz a reproachful glare. "Stop teasing. You know he doesn't like that."

He shrugged and gave her another charming grin. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "Be careful, Ratchet will have out outer plating if anything happens. He's already pacing."

Cameron smiled as the two holograms disappeared and the cars pulled away. She knelt on the backseat and waved at they returned to the base.

"Slagging glitches, too stupid to stay out of danger." Barricade groused.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you cared if they got caught by the Decepticons." Cameron taunted.

"It's good you know better then."

Cameron smiled to herself and relaxed into the cushioned seat. She pulled the make-up closer and started on her camouflage.

* * *

_Several hours later._

Cameron watched with trepidation as the fireballs got closer. She could feel them now, feel their anger and hate. For a split second she entertained the idea of running back to the Autobots, to Ratchet, for safety.

Swallowing the lump of fear that appeared in her throat, Cameron steeled her spine and gripped the rope binding her hands.

"You won't let them attack me will you?" She asked in a surge of uncontrolled fear.

Barricade looked down at her. "Never. You are the Allspark and it is my duty to protect you."

Cameron calmed at his reassurance. Frenzy appeared next to her. "Don't w-worry. Scorp-ponok and I w-will make sure they d-do not come cl-lose."

Cameron smiled at her defenders. Barricade busted their bubble.

"The plan is for them to think that she is a plaything. A toy for their amusement. They will need to get close."

Scorponok chattered angrily and waved his barbed tail over her head.

"Don't worry Scorpy. If things get out of hand I'll take care of them. Let's just hope this goes quickly.

The group turned their attention back to the fireballs without saying another word. The field was silent for fifteen minutes as they waited for the Decepticons to get within comm. range. At a gruff command from Barricade Scorponok reluctantly withdrew from his protective stance over Cameron. He scuttled away and perched on a boulder, just close enough to provide help if needed. Frenzy took his regular position on Barricade's shoulder

"Remember, she's just a human we torture for fun." Barricade said his optics on the sky. They nodded, tensed and waited.

Soon Cameron was sweating from the heat coming off the incoming mechs. If the pair landed anywhere near their small group was waiting Cameron was sure that her skin would melt off, what was left of it that is. Digging her fingers into the rope she watched and waited.

The seekers were almost over their heads when they exploded. The fireballs collided and literally blew up and two dark forms hurtled through the air. They crash landed several fields away with a large crater and a shower of scorched dirt to mark their landing.

"That's g-gotta hurt." Frenzy stammered. Barricade nodded.

"Remember, be scared." He said to Cameron.

He wrapped a hand around Cameron and lifter her off the ground. Quickly they made their way to the crash site. A dark clawed hand appeared at the edge of the crater, following it was a large dark body. Two appendages that sprouted from its back flicked and twitched. Cameron blinked in awe, it was at least the same size, if not bigger than, Ironhide.

A loud chuckle brought their attention to another form above them. One of the mechs had avoided slamming into the Earth. It dived quickly and landed neatly infront of them. The one crawling out of the crater scowled.

"Gee, 'Cracker, thanks for tipping my wing. Now I'm covered in organic slag." He reached up and used the other mechs armor as an anchor to pull himself the rest of the way out.

"Stop complaining. At least you made it here in one piece, not something that would have happened if you hadn't stopped mouthing off back by the orange ringed planet."

Cameron slowly realized that he was talking about Jupiter. How far away was Cybertron? She knew it wasn't in this solar system but how far beyond the borders of her galaxy had they all traveled to retrieve the Allspark?

She turned her attention away from her thoughts and focused back on the new mechs. They energy signals mixed yet remained completely different. These two were obviously very close. The one with the scorched blue armor was still speaking.

"So, they sent you to collect us Barricade? Where are the others? Has Megatron claimed the Allspark?"

Barricade nodded. "Of course. Megatron never fails."

The seekers grinned cruelly at the show of loyalty. "And where is the ever-obnoxious Starscream?" The purple one asked.

"He's with Megatron." Barricade replied.

Purple turned to Blue. "You owe me energon."

Blue scowled. "Stuff it up your transistors Skywarp. I only owe you if 'Screamer offs Megatron." Skywarp pouted.

Cameron decided, through deductive reasoning, that the blue armored one was Thundercracker. He looked down at her. Cameron didn't need to fake her fear.

"What's that?"

"A human. The dominant species on this planet."

"Why do you have one?" Skywarp asked.

"They are fun to _play_ with. Currently Scorponok has laid claim to her."

Scorponok hovered over her. Cameron trembled.

"Why isn't he with Blackout?" Thundercracker asked.

At the name of his Partner Scorponok looked up and chirred hopefully. When there was no response he looked back at Cameron and started to nudge her, like a cat would a toy. Cameron stumbled without her arms to balance her.

"Blackout was deactivated. we found Scorponok wandering around a desert four cycles later." Barricade informed them in a low voice. The pair bowed their heads for a moment for their fallen comrade.

Thundercracker spoke first. "How was he deactivated, Starscream?"

"No, he fell during a fight with the Autobots."

"Autobots! Where are they?" Skywarp demanded, his alien-looking weapons appeared on his arms.

"No where near here. They retreated after one of theirs was destroyed."

"Who? Prime?" The seekers leaned forward eagerly.

Barricade shook his head. "The silver one, Jazz."

Skywarp leaned back and frowned. "Slag. I wanted to take him."

"W-Why?" Frenzy asked.

"He always tried to get the better of me."

"I could deactivate you now and you can go find him in Oblivion." Thundercracker offered, his arm-mounted guns hummed.

Skywarp sneered at him and turned his back. Thundercracker's shot clipped his shoulder, Skywarp snarled and rounded on the other seeker. The challenging look on Thundercracker's face made Skywarp growl. Instead of hitting his partner he swung a kick at Scorponok. the brown Companion yelped and hissed, bouncing back with his tail arched over his back.

"The little fragger grew some spine." Skywarp scoffed and plucked Cameron from where Scorponok had left her undefended. "But I think I'll play with the human instead."

Scorponok chattered angrily, demanding that the Seeker return his human. The purple mech sneered at him and threw Cameron from one hand to the other.

Dull pain filled Cameron's body each time she landed on one of the large palms.

_This feels familiar._ She thought as she hit the hard metal again.

* * *

**What do you think? Getting better or worse? Leave a review and let me know.**

**TammyCat**


	34. Chapter 34

****

I'm back with lots more fun and games that will mess around with these poor character's lives. Yay!...Not that they'd appriciate it :(

**Thank you once again for the reviews, they make me smile so very much. Thank you everyone who has alerted or faved this story and to those who read this but don't review, as long as you enjoy it that's all that matters. If you don't enjoy it then why read it?**

**Cheers :D**

* * *

**Chapter 34**

Back at the base Ratchet used all his self-control to stop himself from pacing. Around him the other Autobots were keeping themselves busy but he could see them constantly darting glances at the main console. The only one who wasn't watching it from the corner of their optic was Slider. Instead she had taken up residence at the monitor, studying each and every change that appeared. Ratchet wished he could be standing there with her.

_#Slider, any changes?#_

_#None. Now stop asking. I'll tell you when something comes up.# _The red femme said irritably.

Ratchet broke contact and settled deeper into his chair. Ever since what had happened between him and Cameron he'd been even less supportive of her choice to go today. He strained the bond that had recently been forged between them. He felt nothing, she was blocking him. Unbidden, images of Starscream's cruelty to Cameron worked through his processor.

Unable to take anymore, he surged to his feet. "What are we doing just waiting here? We should be out there helping."

"We all feel the same Ratchet, but Barricade is perfectly capable of protecting Cameron and we can't risk Thundercracker and Skywarp harming any humans if they decide they want to fight us." Prime said resting his hand on the medics shoulder. "And Scorponok wouldn't let anything to happen to her."

"We shouldn't have let her go in the first place. We shouldn't have risked her safety like this." Ratchet argued. His neural networks told him that he was bordering on saying too much and Optimus would soon find out their secret if he continued like this. As it was Optimus was watching him with an unreadable expression.

"All I'm saying is that she's too valuable to put in harms way."

Prime nodded, accepting his answer. "We had no alternate choice. Barricade and Cameron are best suited to capturing the Decepticons." His voice rang with finality.

Ratchet bowed his head. He could feel optics on him and he looked up to see Jazz and Bumblebee watching him. One of Jazz's arms was around Bumblebee's waist. Ratchet's hands tingled with the memory of holding Cameron.

_#Cheer up doc, she'll be back here in no time.#_ Jazz winked at him.

_#Thank you for your obviously spark-felt support.#_ He replied dryly.

The silver mech smiled and pulled Bee tighter against him. Ratchet scowled and returned his attention to the main console. Slider was pacing infront of it, never taking her optics off the screen.

Twenty minutes later she squealed and started hammering on the controls. Ratchet was beside her in a second.

"What is it?" He asked as he skimmed the data.

"Spikes in Cameron's energy output."

Prime and the others appeared at the console. "How can you be sure? There's no information."

"I can feel her."

Ratchet blinked in surprise and wondered why Cameron hadn't blocked Slider as she had him. With his spark he felt along their connection, desperate to feel her…there she was.

Slider was right, Cameron was in trouble.

Controlling his impulse to open his mouth an reveal all he knew and their secret, he listened as Slider explained.

"Cameron and I have a close bond, like esp or something. It's deeper and more involved than the way you are connected with each other. And since Ratchet turned her broadcasting back on it's only gotten stronger."

Prime turned to Ratchet. "Is that possible?"

"It's highly likely. We all have a connection to the Allspark. It's a bond that only Cameron may feel but it is there. The fact that she created Slider herself may be why their bond is much more potent."

Optimus nodded and looked back down at the little red femme. "Can you locate her?"

Slider shook her head. "Not on my own. I wasn't designed with that sort of technology."

"Ratchet?"

Ratchet nodded and reached for Slider. He understood what Optimus wanted. Ratchet's superior systems made him the most capable at locating the missing Allspark. As he linked himself with Slider he felt Cameron and her distress. His processor rebelled at her pain but he forced himself to focus on her location. He quickly obtained the coordinates and disengaged from Slider.

"She's seventy-two miles form here. North-east."

"Autobots prepare to roll out, we're going after them."

Ratchet scowled as they exited the control room. "I knew letting her leave was a bad idea. She's too young to know how to defend herself. Even if she is the Allspark, she hasn't had enough time to get used to controlling her powers and the only experience she's had fighting Decepticons was against Starscream. She shouldn't be out there."

"Ratchet stop. You're repeating yourself, and I don't need further convincing." Optimus lifted his hand to stop the babbling medic. At once Ratchet looked worried.

"Convincing of what Optimus?" Ironhide asked with a sly look at Ratchet, who now looked as though he would prefer to have a grenade shoved up his tail-pipe than be having this conversation.

"Of Ratchet's affections of course."

"Of course! I wondered if you had noticed his increased attention."

"How did you notice it?" Jazz asked, suddenly more interested in the conversation. "You're never on base."

"I have my ways. I wasn't Security Director for all those years because of my good looks."

"I'm surprised that you thought you could keep it from me, Ratchet."

"I-I-I." Ratchet closed his mouth to stop the incomprehensible sounds.

"And you Slider."

The red head snapped up. "What?" She squawked.

"I know the secrets you were both trying to hide."

"Wait. Start with her." Ratchet pointed at Slider.

"Hey! That's not fair. Expose him, his is more scandalous."

The medic growled at her. She glared right back.

"Ratchet, what you and Cameron do in your own time is no one else's business. The same goes for Slider, but Slider please remember to conduct your relationship in private. The Control Room is not private." The little head ducked in embarrassment.

"What'd she do?" Jazz asked.

"That's between her and Frenzy." Optimus replied.

"Eww."

Optimus shook his head and led them out of the room. Behind his back he heard Jazz whisper to Ratchet. "I told you he was wily."

* * *

Cameron groaned as she was thrown from one large hand to the other. The pain from slamming over and over into Skywarp's palms was building and causing her head to ache horribly. She kept her body relaxed, absorbing the blows. Distantly she could hear Barricade's voice, he was speaking to the Seekers, one replied but she couldn't tell which through the pounding in her head. Suddenly all motion stopped. Cameron looked around to see that everyone was looking at her. She was about to ask why when the Seeker holding her started talking.

"You're saying that I can't destroy this squishy because it really belongs to Megatron?"

"Yep, and you know how he hates to lose what's his."

Cameron tried to shake the haze from her brain so she could understand what the mechs around her were saying. Barricade's comment confused her, she didn't belong to Megatron, if anything she belonged to Ratchet. The large hand closed around her and started to shake, softly at first then becoming a pronounced vibration and moving onto bone-jarring shakes. Cameron felt as though her brain was becoming a similar consistency as scrambled eggs.

_#Barricade! Stop him!#_ Cameron cried desperately.

Almost immediately the movement stopped. Cameron waited for the world to stop spinning before skewering Skywarp with a glare.

_#Can I drain them yet?#_ She asked over her tight link with Barricade. His mouth twitched minutely at her acidic tone, his head shook imperceptively.

_#Not yet. I want to get them as close to the Autobots as possible before you disable them.#_

_#Fine but the next time he does that I won't be responsible for what I do.# _Cameron scowled and crossed her arms.

"Let's get moving. Megatron wants a report from you two as soon as possible."

Thundercracker nodded. "Why is it we cannot locate Megatron?"

Cameron didn't move, didn't even risk breathing, forgetting that she didn't breathe, in case she missed anything.

"We are forced to use energy dampeners to hide ourselves from the humans."

"Why? They look pitifully weak to me." Skywarp dangled Cameron infront of his face.

"They are, but they have the technology to destroy us."

The Seekers grumbled but stayed quiet. Barricade started to lead them away, towards the Autobot base. Cameron jostled around in Skywarp's fist, he wasn't trying to ensure her comfort. She made a mental note to repay the favor at a later time.

A soft wave of love and concern flowed through her. A tiny smiled stole over her face as she returned Ratchet's affection with an added burst of reassurance. She couldn't allow him to get worried and rush in and try to rescue her.

Above her the Cybertronian scowled and muttered. "Where do we go?"

"To meet Megatron." Barricade replied tersely.

Thundercracker snatched Cameron from Skywarp. "Megatron, who owns this organic but allows the Companion to play with it?"

"Yep."

"Why would he do that? He's possessive."

Barricade slanted him a look. "Have you ever heard a Companion without its Partner? Very annoying."

"So Scorponok gets the human because he's irritating? Starscream must have hundreds." The Seekers laughed.

"Where are we going?" Skywarp whined several minutes later.

"Stop moaning like an Auto-bitch Skywarp. We've traveled for thousands of vorns, we can wait a little longer." Thundercracker threw Cameron into the air, catching her roughly as she fell. Scorponok hissed angrily and lifted his claws to Cameron. Thundercracker looked down with a dark light in his optics. Cameron shivered at that ominous look, glad that she was not at its focus. Below her Scorponok chattered uncertainly while still demanding that Thundercracker release her. She felt the hand around her tighten as the mech above glared down at the Companion.

A foreboding feeling ran down Cameron's spine. Something bad was about to happen and Thundercracker was going to be the one doing it. Taking advantage of her relatively painless close proximity to the Decepticon Cameron pressed her hand flat against the metal finger. As carefully as possible she sent an energy probe through his systems. She aimed for his neural cortex, intending to find out what his plans were. His mind was a shocking mess of hate, anger, bloodlust and cold cunning. More than a little intrigued by a mind so different from any other she had explored Cameron delved deeper into the consciousness. Her first stop was his memory banks, it was easier to tell what a person was capable of doing if you knew what they had already done. Images of past battles and victories filled her head, but their horror was overshadowed by the pleasure in Thundecracker's mind when she examined his memories of his victims.

Cameron suppressed a shudder at his blatant cruel streak. She now realized why Ratchet hadn't wanted her here, the Decepticon's were ruthless killers and Thundercracker had no qualms about murdering any who got in his way. Cameron was about to look deeper into his mind when a high-pitched squeal brought her back.

Looking around she saw that Thundercracker was grinning and Skywarp was snickering, Barricade's attention was on the ground. Craning her neck, she tried to see what had happened. Her eyes widened in horror. Scorponok leaned to one side, his claws clutched protectively over a smoking hole in his side while dark liquid pooled around him.

"Scorpy!"

The brown head tilted up, his black optics were filled with pain. Cameron's heart ached for him. How could she have let herself get so distracted that she'd forgotten what she'd been in Thundercracker's mind for in the first place?

"Why did you do that?" She screamed at the mech holding her. "He did nothing to you."

Thundercracker glared down at her. "He was irritating me."

"Well, you irritate me." Cameron said as anger grew in her.

"And what are you going to do about it squishy? Tell Megatron?"

"No, he isn't who I answer to." Her voice was cold as the Allspark's power flowed and ignited in her veins.

Thundercracker scowled down at her, confusion evident in his optics.

"Stop Cameron, now." Barricade growled lowly.

The Seekers looked between them suspiciously and Skywarp asked. "What's going on Barricade? Why isn't the organic scared anymore?"

"Because I'm not organic."

Cameron brought one hand down on Thundercracker's wrist and raised the other to face Skywarp. Her eyes went from vivid green to brilliant blue and the air crackled around her. The Seekers froze, surprise and fear locked on their faces. Grim satisfaction filled Cameron even as she drew the energy out of their bodies. Skywarp crumpled first, the dust settled over his body as Cameron slowly pulled the last of Thundercracker's energy into her body. The blue seeker had more control than his purple counterpart. He dropped to his knees as his hand went slack around her, his body groaned before it crashed into the dirt like Skywarp's.

Barricade quickly moved in to catch her before she hit the ground. Cameron felt the cool fingers under and reveled in their chillness against her heated skin. Clarity soon returned to her mind and she twisted in Barricade's hand to locate Scorponok. The brown Companion still cowered next to the rocks cradling his injury.

"Down, put me down Barricade." Cameron was surprised to hear her voice so husky.

The black and white mech lowered her and she staggered to Scorponok's side. It warmed her heart when he held out a claw to steady her, even when he was leaking precious fluids from a serious injury he still wanted to help her.

"Shh sweetie. It'll be all right, I'm here."

Scorponok chirred at her pitifully as she moved to his side. Cameron knew she wasn't particularly knowledgeable about repairing mech and she wished that Ratchet was with her. Sure, she could close the hole and regenerate the armor but she had no clue what to do about the liquid gushing out of his body.

Placing her hands on either side of the injury Cameron sent her power into Scorponok, shutting off sensory receptors and easing the pain from his mind. The tension drained from him and his legs shook as he slumped on the ground. The viscous fluid gushed over her arms as she plunged her hands into the hole to begin the repairs. Its smell, metallic and burnt, was so overwhelming she began to tilt as it invaded her head. Distantly she felt a slight burning sensation on her arms; she dismissed it as a lower priority. Dizziness threatened her mind as she called out to the Autobots.

_#Where are you guys? The Decepticons are down and so is Scorponok.#_

_#Cameron! We're on our way. Are you all right?#_ Slider and Ratchet commed together.

#_Cameron, remain where you are, we will be at your position in approximately six point three minutes.#_ Optimus' deep calm voice soothed her.

_#What can I do for Scorponok? I don't know what this stuff is.#_

_#Do what you can to close the injury. I'll be there soon#_ Ratchet replied with a wave of reassurance over their bond.

She sighed in relief and pushed more power into Scorponok. The scorched edges of the metal shimmered and crackled with electricity but refused to close. Fear fed into Cameron's uncertainty until she felt utterly useless. What good was she as the Allspark if she couldn't repair him? It couldn't be that much more difficult than creating a whole new tail. She scowled and concentrated, pouring her energy into creating new metal. The armor sparked and glowed but nothing new appeared over the wound. Why wasn't the metal regenerating? She searched her brain for a reason, going through every piece of information Ratchet had ever told her about the properties of their armor.

The answer clicked in her mind; Thundercracker's blast had melted the metal, making its regeneration abilities obsolete.

Great! She couldn't repair melted metals; she would have to get rid of the unusable material before she went any further. She turned to face Barricade, who was securing the Decepticons. Bright cords of energy bound their wrists, ankles and wings.

"What are you doing? Are those hand-cuffs?"

Barricade looked up and shrugged. "I _am_ law enforcement."

Cameron grinned wryly. "Where's Frenzy? I need his help."

The little silver bot appeared from behind Skywarp's head. He climbed off the Seeker and hurried to her side. He looked up at her expectantly.

"I need you to cut away the melted metal. Can you do that?"

"Of course."

He moved swiftly to the other Companion and removed a pair of razor-sharp disks from his chest. Within minutes the non-repairable metal was gone and Cameron was able to start working on what was left. To complete the task she would need to utilize the power taken from Thundercracker and Skywarp, which meant she would have to cleanse the energy. A lifetime of hate, anger and brutality had corrupted the energy and if she were to use it on Scorponok now it could very well do a lot of irreparable damage. Purifying the Seekers stolen power took almost all of her concentration, leaving Scorponok to get weaker and weaker.

Sweat appeared on her forehead as she focused on Scorponok rather than the biting on her arms. Cameron feared for him as his optics dimmed. What could she do to stop the bleeding?"

Turning her attention to the ruptured pipes, Cameron fused them back together, over that she worked on replacing the armor.

When the metal had been regrown she tried to bring the Companion back online. His optics stuttered and blinked off. The fear increased as the black liquid continued to leak through the plates of armor.

Cameron panicked and reached out. _#Ratchet! He's still leaking this black stuff, what is it? It hurts.#_

_#It is a mixture of acids that keeps our systems free from substances un-natural to us. It will continue to soak the injury until all organic matter is removed. How much have you come in contact with?#_ His voice was tinged with concern.

Cameron raised her arms and studied the thick coating. _#It's all over my arms up to my elbows. Is it suppose to go hard like this?#_

Ratchet cursed just as the sounds of their engines reached Cameron's ears. She looked over the shoulder at the road and was rewarded with the sight of the eclectic convoy.

* * *

Slider was the first to jump on her, scurrying all over her face before centering herself on Cameron's shoulder. Ratchet was close behind her, gathering Cameron into his hand and assuring himself she was safe. Optimus Prime led the others to the offlined Decepticons.

Cameron looked into Ratchet's beloved face and felt all her fear and pain from her various injuries disappear. She smiled wearily and looked back down to Scorponok.

Ratchet, who had been running passive scans over the Companion since he was within range, now carefully logged and analyzed every aspect of his wounds. He was in a semi-stasis-lock, his processor having locked itself and all functions to stop the body from deteriorating any further. In his spark Ratchet wanted to look after Cameron first but he knew his duties and responsibilities, and Scorponok's worsening condition called to the medic in him.

Shifting Cameron onto his shoulder Ratchet called Bumblebee away from the others surrounding Thundercracker and Skywarp. The yellow mech's happy optics winked at Cameron as Ratchet put her into his hands.

"Bumblebee, take care of Cameron but first help me load Scorponok. As soon as you can take her straight back to the base and do what you can to get that stuff off her arms."

Bumblebee nodded, cradling her protectively against him. Cameron watched Ratchet, her heart in her eyes. He smiled at her reassuringly before transforming. Bumblebee placed Cameron and Slider on the ground and helped Ratchet maneuver the unconscious scorpion into him. Moments later all that was left of Ratchet was a cloud of dust and the faint echo of sirens.

Cameron stared after him for a minute before allowing Bumblebee to pick her up again and head over to the other Autobots. They gathered around the Decepticons discussing what to do with them. Slider removed herself from Cameron's shoulder to stand by Frenzy's side, their fingers linked, the only show of their relationship.

"Optimus, Ratchet said that Cameron has to get back to base asap." Bee said looking to his leader.

Prime nodded and looked down at Thundercracker, who was just starting to regain consciousness. The red optics flickered and fazed on. A scowl appeared on his face-plate as he looked up at the Autobots surrounding him, his gaze at last settled on Barricade.

"Traitor! Wait until Megatron hears of your treachery Barricade, you will be punished."

"Megatron will be punishing nobody." Optimus Prime said, his authoritative voice capturing Thundercracker's attention. "He had been deactivated permanently."

The Decepticon sneered. "Megatron can't be deactivated, he is invincible."

"Prime, we don't have time for this. We have to get back to base before any humans arrive to check out the massive crater these two created." Cameron pointed to the site far behind them.

"You fleshling, you knew the Autobots were coming didn't you."

"Of course, I called them." Her eyes glowed blue as she glared at him.

"What are you?"

A harsh groan stopped Cameron from answering. All attention was suddenly on the scorched purple mech, his head lolled on his neck before his optics lit up and a pitiful whine came from his throat.

"'Cracker, my head hurts. What happened?"

"Shut up Skywarp. We've been caught by the Autobots and their pet squishy." Thundercracker growled and Skywarp's head snapped up to look around them.

"This isn't good."

"You always had a talent for understatement Skywarp." Jazz said with a grin.

The Seeker's optics widened and his mouth gaped. "You! You're supposed to be dead. Barricade said you were dead."

Thundercracker rolled his optics. "Barricade is working with the Autobots, you idiot."

"He is?" Skywarp looked around to see the black mech standing next to Ironhide. "That's not fair."

"Let's get them back to the base before we're discovered." Optimus stepped back and transformed. Ironhide and Jazz were quick to attach the trailer Prime had brought with him. The Decepticons struggled feebly as they were loaded into the trailer. Cameron could feel their weakness even as they tried to fight it.

Cameron was soon on the ground as she waited for Bumblebee to transform as well. They soon left the others behind as they streamed back along the dirt road to the highway. Cameron was only slightly concerned about having the Decepticons in such an exposed location as they traveled but she trusted Ironhide, Jazz and Barricade to protect Optimus and his cargo.

Less than five minutes later and Cameron was scratching at her arms with a vengeance. More specifically, at the now almost completely hard black covering on her arms. Underneath it her skin itched like the worst sort of eczema, or maybe more like chicken-pox in the middle of summer, she didn't doubt that she would have some sort of rash once she got it all off. If it came off. Cameron pushed that thought away with distaste. She would have to wait until they got back before any progress could be made and at the moment the main priority was Scorponok. Cameron reached out to Ratchet careful not to disturb his concentration, a merely brush against his mind to see what he was doing and thinking. He didn't even notice her there in the back of his mind, watching him. His thoughts were preoccupied with driving and performing scans and minor adjustments to Scorponok's condition. A rush of pride filled her heart as she watched how Ratchet took care of the Companion. Cameron retreated from his mind to avoid the risk of distracting him.

"Why don't you get some rest Cameron. It will take us just under half and hour to get back if we obey the road rules."

"Screw the rules." Cameron growled as she tore into her arm with her nails. Bumblebee's laughter flowed out of the speakers as he sped up and outpaced the other cars on the highway.

* * *

They tore into the base and Bumblebee executed a perfect power-slide before coming to a stop directly outside the main hangar doors. Cameron climbed out and didn't wait for Bumblebee to transform before hurrying through the doors. She aimed for the medbay but Bee caught up and scooped her into his hands and started walking in the opposite direction.

"Bee, where are you taking me? We have to get to the medbay."

Bumblebee shook his head. "Nope, Ratchet said that we needed to get this stuff off you and we can't do that in the medbay, he's busy with Scorponok and we don't want to get in the way."

Cameron nodded even as she told herself off for being so stupid. Of course she couldn't go into the medbay, it was a sterile environment for Ratchet to perform whatever he was doing. Just like anyone couldn't stride into an operating theatre in a hospital while someone was on the table.

Cameron soon found herself in Bumblebee's and Jazz's quarters. It was actually one of the smaller hangars they'd converted. Bumblebee left her on a desk while he rummaged through various large containers.

"Where did you get all this stuff?" Cameron asked as she gazed in wonder around the room.

Bumblebee shrugged. "We just picked it up, bits and pieces from wherever we've been."

He made a triumphant noise before returning to her. He dropped several instruments onto the table and leaned close to her.

"Show me your arms."

Cameron obeyed as she eyed to strange looking implements. Bee made some contemplative sounds before picking up one of the instruments and tapping it on the hard covering. Cameron felt the tap all the way through her body and knew instinctively that this would probably hurt more than a bit.

Ten minutes later and Cameron was flinching with each fragment Bumblebee managed to get off her arms. The black was coming off slowly and only once it had been weakened, the covering had hardened to a point that Cameron couldn't move her fingers and her arms felted like those of a mannequin.

As the black crust came away Cameron became aware of a change in her skin, a rather obvious change.

"Bee, what's that?" She pointed stiffly to the area Bumblebee had just cleared.

"It looks like a silver metal."

"Silver like half my body?"

"Yep." He nodded.

"Ah, great." Cameron's shoulders slumped and she sat back for Bumblebee to finish with the rest of her arm. It wasn't a rash, but it wasn't good either.

* * *

By the time she and Bumblebee were finished, Optimus Prime had returned with the Decepticons and had chained them against the wall. Cameron strode into the room and stopped to inspect the new décor.

"That's a bit much isn't it Optimus, I mean I love the color scheme but if we're going to wall-paper with mechs can we get some in more cheerful colors."

The Decepticons glared at her, she smiled back. The Autobots turned to face her. Ratchet smiled and answered her unspoken question with a jerk of his head, Scorponok sat in the corner curled up on himself, asleep. Cameron grinned and moved closer to the others with Bumblebee.

"What happened to you?" Slider asked.

"Apparently I'm changing a lot faster than we anticipated. I now have silver gloves." And she did, sort of. The Cybertronian alloy ran from her fingers all the way to her elbows.

"Did they give you much trouble?" Bee asked.

"No. Cameron took too much of their energy, they were barely even aware of what was happening."

Cameron shrugged. "They shot Scorpy."

"There's a warning for ya Ironhide, don' shoot Scorpy."

The Weapons Specialist smacked Jazz upside the head in response.

"So, what do we do with them now?" Bumblebee asked.

"We will have to find a way to get them off the planet without the humans finding out that they are Decepticons. Hopefully the human scientists have made some progress towards that endeavor." Prime answered.

"Gya!" Slider cried out suddenly, catching everyone's attention. Her whole body vibrated before she was forcibly transformed. The phone lay on the table ringing. Cameron hurried over to it…unknown number. She answered.

"Cameron speaking."

"Hey Cameron, it's Jamie, Jamie Watson."

"Oh, hi Jamie. Perfect timing. What's up?" She looked up as Ratchet scowled.

"There's been a problem with Dr. Vickers' project."

"What sort of problem?"

"Well, they still can't find a way to get your guys up there."

"You're telling me that NASA can get shuttles and satellites up into orbit but Sector Seven, a department with greater funding and more man-power, can't."

There was a long silence before he said slowly. "Yeah."

"That's ridiculous!" She fumed as she started pacing. Her eyes went from one Autobot to the next. "How are we supposed to find enough power to…" Her eye landed on the chained Seekers and a plan started to formulate. "I think I have an idea. I'll get back to you k?"

Cameron hung up the phone without waiting for a response. Her calculating gaze still fixed on the Decepticons.

"What are you thinking?" A newly bipedal Slider asked.

Cameron grinned. "I'm thinking that they're taking us to Cybertron."

There was a moment of silence.

"The propulsion they can generate plus what the humans can gather might just be enough to get us all beyond Earth's gravitational orbit." Jazz said catching on. He turned excited optics to Optimus. "We might actually be able to make it to the Ark without using up too much energy."

Skywarp struggled in his bonds. "See, I told you they brought a ship. Why couldn't we?"

"Ship? What ship?" Cameron asked, they ignored her.

"Actually, we would only need to get to Earth's orbiting moon. The Nemesis is there." Barricade put in.

"What's the Ark?" Still no one answered.

"Why would you risk leaving the Nemesis so close to an obviously populated planet, especially if you didn't know how advanced their technology was?" Ironhide looked at Barricade suspiciously.

The dark mech shrugged. "Starscream was in charge, not me. Call up his spark and ask."

"What's the Nemesis?" Cameron asked once again in vain. She was getting annoyed

"I think perhaps we should leave the Nemesis where it is. I would feel far more comfortable aboard my own ship."

"What ship?"

"Prime, the Ark may very well need repairing, it has been left unguarded for quite some time. Any number of space debris could have comprised it." Ratchet added.

Finally Cameron gave up trying to get their attention from the ground. Pulling the Allspark's power around her, she concentrated it until she was able to use it to propel herself away from the floor. Wispy electric blue tendrils surrounded her as she started to rise. When she was face height with Optimus Prime and had all of the mechs attention did she ask her question again.

"What ship are you talking about?"

"What are you?" Thundercracker demanded, his optics wide.

Cameron turned in the air, her eyes shining blue. "I'm the Allspark and you're going to be quiet." She lifted her hand and made a fist. Immediately his mouth closed and no matter how much grunting and straining he did, it wouldn't open.

She turned back around. "Prime, what ship?"

"We have an interstellar ship, the Ark, waiting in orbit around one of Jupiter's moons. It will be taking us back to Cybertron."

"Why are you only telling me this now?"

"It wasn't relevant."

Cameron glared at him for a moment before returning to the ground. "Aren't you all just full of surprises." She grabbed Slider around the waist and marched away.

"Where are you going?" Ratchet called.

"I'm going to organize a study date with Jamie, we might actually be able to get some progress done this time."

* * *

**What did you think? Please review, hopefully it'll only get better.**


	35. Chapter 35

**Hi all,**

**It's been a while so I thought I would be good and post a nice long one. Thank you all so much for reviewing, it means so much to me that you are enjoying this. **

**This chapter is for StarSwoop. Thank you for giving me ideas **

**Rated M for...bad behaviour between Cameron and Ratchet.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter**** 35**

Cameron stood at the hangar doors as she waited for Jamie Watson to arrive. Inside, Optimus Prime and Ironhide guarded the Decepticons. She looked over her shoulder to see if anything had changed. Nope, they all still looked like statues in a park, even the one glaring at her from the back of the hall.

Last night Ratchet had voiced his opinion of the young doctor and had refused to be in the same room as him…until Cameron had said that she would look after Jamie while he was on the base. Now Ratchet stood at the back of the hangar with a stormy look on his face plates. Cameron suppressed her smile; Ratchet wouldn't like it if he knew she was laughing at him.

The roar of an engine caught her attention as a car appeared on the tarmac. The silver sports car sped along with a magnificent tail of smoke and dust blowing out behind him. It skidded to a halt mere feet from Cameron.

"Show off." She said with a smile. The engine purred in response.

A pale and shaky man practically fell out of the passenger side.

"Good morning Jamie. Did you enjoy the ride?"

He staggered around the car. "I don't know if 'enjoyed' is the right word but it was definitely an experience, especially when the driver disappeared."

"Jazz, I told you to be nice."

The sound of shifting gears preceded the spy's words. "I was bein' nice, he didn't believe me when I said I was fast."

Cameron turned around and touched Jamie's shoulder. "Are you all right?"

He breathed deeply. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." His eyes roved over her. "You look…different."

"Just the benefits of being all powerful." She replied with a smile. Her silver arms and shimmering skin were showed off in a cap-sleeved shirt and her silver legs were encased in a pair of tight jeans cut off at the knees.

"Come on, let's get you inside." Cameron led the shaky man toward the doorway.

Jazz followed them as they entered, immediately overtaking them to stand guard over the Decepticons. Jamie looked around as they entered, his eyes instantly widening when he saw the Seekers.

"Is that them?"

"Yep."

"They're impressive, yet very scary."

"Yeah, but those guys can't use their weapons, my guys can." She walked straight past the Decepticons to Optimus Prime.

The Autobot leader kept his optics on the prisoners until Cameron and Jamie were closer.

"Optimus, I think Jamie, Dr. Watson, should be able to help us. He has contacts."

Optimus looked down at them. "Your assistance will be greatly appreciated."

Jamie smiled. "I'll do what I can."

"Come on." Cameron tugged at his hand. "Ratchet's going to help with the calculations as well."

The medic's optics narrowed as they approached him and the dining table.

"He still doesn't like me does he?" Jamie asked, his voice uneasy.

Cameron studied Ratchet's face and looked back to Jamie. "I don't think so. But don't worry, I'll protect you." She smiled at him brightly and Ratchet growled.

With a laugh Cameron slipped her arm through Jamie's and led him to the table. Optimus appeared next to them and settled himself on the floor to be closer to their level. Cameron pulled several notebooks towards them and seated herself across from Jamie. Ratchet sat behind Cameron and continued to glare at the man.

Cameron opened one of the notebooks to reveal pages of neat writing, she pushed it closer to Jamie. "To be honest, I have no clue how much more of a boost these two could give us. Ratchet and Prime managed to work out these estimates but I'm guessing, from what they've told me, it would be like combining the power of a nuke with a jet engine."

Jamie looked over at the Decepticons. "There's no way they can control that much power."

"The Seekers are designed to operate in all atmospheres, including outer space. Their bodies have to contain more energy than a regular Cybertronians to compensate for the extreme output needed for sustained inter-stellar flight." Ratchet finished with a smug look.

Cameron covered her smile with her hand. Jamie looked a bit lost and definitely intimidated. She reached out and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"If we manage some more easily understood calculations today, could you take them to Dr. Vickers and her team?"

"Of course, that's what I'm here for." He grinned at her and Cameron smiled back.

_#Must you do that?#_ Ratchet growled in her head.

_#Do what?#_ Cameron asked innocently.

_#The touching and smiling.#_

Cameron's smile grew. #_I think I like it when you're jealous.#_

_#I'm not jealous. The boy is just annoying and you are encouraging him.#_

#_You are too. Shall I prove it?#_ She leaned into Jamie and peeked at him through her lashes. The man blinked and smiled eagerly.

Ratchet shifted behind her. _#Do that again and the human will not be able to leave under his own power.#_

Ratchet's threat only caused Cameron to laugh. She waved away Jamie's confused look and turned to Optimus so he could join in the conversation.

_#What is it about him that you don't like?#_ Cameron asked once Jamie and Prime were talking.

_#Apart from his obvious attraction to you? He's arrogant, rude and part of Sector Seven.#_

_#He's not rude, you're just jealous.#_

She stood and excused herself from the table. Without a backwards glance she headed towards the corridor leading to her private quarters. As she walked away from the trio still at the table and out of sight she sent Ratchet an image of his holoform standing next to her. It took her mech mere seconds to do what she wanted and Mr Perfect was infront of her. With an indulgent smile she laced her fingers behind his head.

"Were you worried that I would want him over you? That's so cute."

Ratchet scowled. "He is human and you are still clinging to your humanity."

She grinned and pulled his head down. "No I'm not, I'm clinging to you. Besides, I already told you, I'm partial to mechs. You should be more worried about Jazz stealing me, he's very charming."

Ratchet's scowl darkened and a moment later Cameron heard a loud clank and Jazz cry out. "Ouch Doc, what was that for?"

Cameron muffled her giggled against Ratchet's chest. "You really are adorable when you're jealous."

His frown didn't disappear. She pulled him closer to her and whispered against his lips. "I don't want anyone but you; I will never want anyone but you. You've felt the truth in my heart."

Ratchet's only response was a muffled groan as he kissed her. Cameron felt the now familiar tightening in her stomach as his arms wrapped around her body. Pressed tightly together, kissing and touching, it was easy to forget what was happening around them.

The sound of footsteps broke them apart.

"We're finishing this." Ratchet growled in her ear. Cameron nodded breathlessly.

The hologram disappeared seconds before Jamie walked around the door. He stared at her for a moment and Cameron wondered if he could tell that she hadn't been alone.

"Optimus Prime said that you're needed. The Decepticons are struggling and I think the robot that wants to hurt me is broken."

Cameron nodded, breathed deeply and promptly started choking as the air went nowhere. Jamie patted her on the back and waited for the coughing to stop.

"Thanks. I keep forgetting that I don't breathe." She cracked a grin.

Jamie laughed and walked with her back to the Autobots. Ratchet watched her with burning optics, his engine purred and his air-intakes hummed. Optimus had a knowing smile on his face as they approached, Cameron winked at him and his mask snapped closed over his mouth. The startled look in his optics made Cameron feel satisfied.

Turning her attention to the Decepticons Cameron saw that Thundercracker had managed to free one of his arms and was currently being restrained by Ironhide. Jazz kept his gun on Thundercracker incase the Decepticon got free.

Cameron closed the distance between them and raised her arms. Feeling the power rise from her heart and flow through her body Cameron waited until the power filling her entire body before releasing it on Thundercracker. Lightning-like sparks jumped from her fingers and connected with his body. He jerked and trembled as Cameron reversed the flow of power, draining his body once again. Fire spread along her arms and through her chest as the power ran through her. Distantly Cameron knew that more of her body was changing. Moments later Thundercracker hung limply from the wall. Ironhide re-chained him and Cameron strengthened the bonds with the Allspark so that they wouldn't break again, she did the same with Skywarp's bonds.

With a smile still on her face Cameron returned to the table. Ratchet frowned and ran a scan over her. Cameron looked down hoping to see that her clothes were still visible, they were, he was using a passive scan. Adjusting her eyes to study the metal on her arms she saw that the alloy now reached just below her shoulder on one side and covered it on the other.

_That would explain the burning sensation_. Cameron thought, then remembered that her body had burned as well. A questioning glance at Ratchet had him extending his arm to show her a hologram of her body. _Great_. The only parts of her that weren't covered in the Cybertronian metal were one shoulder and her head.

She looked up at her medic. "Why am I changing so much faster now? Any power I use converts me a little more."

Ratchet's optics was sympathetic. "All of your other systems are altered. All that is left is your skin, which is already is a transitory state."

Cameron nodded, not overly happy about the prognosis. Her eyes drifted to the Decepticons, Skywarp alternately stared between the still form of Thundercracker and her. He was giving off waves of resistance, fear and submission. Cameron knew eventually his defiance would overcome his fear and he would try to escape like Thundercracker.

She looked up at Ratchet. "Is there any sort of sedative you could use on them? To knock them out until we need them?"

A thoughtful look past over Ratchet's face. "I might be able to induce temporary stasis. I'll look into it."

Cameron smiled slightly before sitting back at the table. Jamie stared at her, his eyes showing a mix of fear and awe.

"What's wrong?"

"You're skin changed and you're eyes are blue and glowing."

Cameron blinked several times and pushed the Allspark's power deep within her. "Better yet?"

Jamie nodded looking less worried than before and turned his attention back to the books infront of him. Cameron settled into the seat next to him and listened as the males discussed their options.

Resting her chin in her hand Cameron tried to keep her attention focused on the topic, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't keep her mind from wandering. If only she understood what they were talking about she might be able to contribute. To stop herself from becoming completely bored and ineffective Cameron directed her concentration towards staying entertained and alert should they want her opinion.

* * *

_Fifteen minutes later_

Cameron grinned as she watched Ratchet from the corner of her eye. Every time she brushed up against or inadvertently touched the man next to her he would twitch and scowl. Cameron had since turned it into a game; whenever he started to relax she would 'accidentally' bump her hand or shoulder into Jamie. She knew it was mean but it was so very entertaining. Of course Ratchet had figured her game out after the first five 'accidents' and had since been fighting back, sending energy pulses through their bond whenever she looked at Jamie, causing her to jump with the shock of power.

An hour later they were glaring at each other yet both were unwilling to stop the torture. By now Cameron had aimed her own energy pulses back at the medic while he started putting images in her head. Cameron's face was bright red as she tried not to focus on the inappropriate things in Ratchet's imagination.

"Cameron, are you all right? You look flushed." Jamie asked after feeling her jump for the sixth time in ten minutes.

"I'm fine." She replied, her voice a bit more husky than she would have liked.

"You don't look fine. Let me give you a check up."

"Why?"

"Because I'm a doctor and the robot probably doesn't know everything that could be wrong with your body."

Jamie grabbed her shoulders and forcibly turned her on her seat to face him. Cameron's eyes were wide as she sent a calming wave of energy over Ratchet, who had seen the human touching his spark-mate and was about to react very badly.

Jamie leaned closer to her, unaware of the danger he was putting himself in, placing one hand on her forehead and pressing his fingers against her throat.

"There's no swelling in your glands but you do seem to have a bit of a fever. Is there a thermometer here that I could use?"

Off to the side Ratchet growled and crossed his arms. Cameron was restraining him but not by much. She pulled back and pressed her cool ands against her cheeks.

"Give me a sec and I'll go see."

Without waiting for a reply she jumped out of her chair and raced to the corridor. She ran through the base until she was at the door of her quarters. Leaning against the cool metal she tried to clear her mind. What she and Ratchet were doing to watch other was distracting and causing her to burn, as Jamie had noticed. She yelped as the door moved from under her, toppling back Cameron was caught in the strong arms of Ratchet's hologram.

Cameron only had a moment to see a pair of bright blue eyes and a hungry smile before her world was reduced to pure sensation.

* * *

Jamie Watson walked through the base in search of Cameron. His thoughts about her had taken him to sleep since the last time he was here. She was a creature of pure light and goodness, something he hadn't had much contact with. Living in a world controlled by Sector Seven and growing up around scientists, being poked prodded and tested everyday had led him to believe that there was no true good. Then he'd met Cameron and she had turned that upside-down. Her light and brightness drew him in like a moth to a flame, like a scientist to the unknown.

Jamie tried to push away his longing for the half-human. She was so far beyond his reach, she was practically a star.

Turning his thoughts back to the job at hand Jamie concentrated on finding the missing girl. She had left to get a thermometer twenty minutes ago and hadn't returned yet. The Autobot leader had told him that she was perfectly fine but Jamie had decided to look for her anyway, just to be sure she was all right. On top of that the medical robot that kept glaring at him had suddenly started to twitch and purr, solidifying Jamie's belief that he was broken.

So now Jamie was trying not to get lost in the maze of corridors that the Autobots had created to make the base more to their liking. Even though he had been there before, he was still astonished by the sheer size of the hallways, twice as wide as his government issue Hummer and tall enough to fit a four storey building comfortably.

A muffled sound caught his attention as he walked past a series of doors. They were spaced roughly seven feet apart, two on each side of the hallway. Was this near Cameron's rooms or was he about to find more robots? Jamie knew that this wasn't the medical lab, he'd been there before, and hadn't found Cameron there.

Deciding that the only way to find Cameron was to open the doors Jamie stepped up to the closest and pulled. The door slid to the side to reveal a dark room full of boxes. Stepping into the room Jamie scowled, he was sure the sound had come from this side.

A sharp gasp from the other side of the wall caused him to look up and dart out of the storage room. Grasping the thick handle he yanked the door open.

Jamie stood in the doorway, his eyes going wide. He had thought the gasp had been made in pain but what he saw now threw that theory into the bin.

Cameron was pushed up against a wall by a man Jamie had never seen before. Their mouths looked as though they had been welded together. Cameron's hands clutched at the man's back, dragging his shirt from his pants. The unknown man held her securely with one hand on the back of her neck while the other arm wrapped around her waist.

Jamie continued to stare for a moment before he realised what he was doing. He felt heat climb into his face as he coughed loudly, pointedly.

* * *

Cameron pulled back from Ratchet as a sound invaded her desire-swamped mind. Panting softly against Ratchet's soft lips she tried to focus her eyes. Above her Ratchet turned his head towards the door.

"Can we help you?"

Cameron twisted her head to see who Ratchet was talking to. Her eyes widened when she saw Jamie standing in the doorway looking very uncomfortable.

"I-I was looking for Cameron."

"You've found her, you can leave now."

Cameron frowned up at Ratchet. "Stop being horrible."

Ratchet's blue eyes caught hers with their hungry stare. "What I'm feeling is not horrible."

A shiver went through her body and a shy smile lifted her lips. When she spoke her voice was a whisper. "Stop it, we have to go back. Jamie found us."

"Jamie can unfind us and we can go back to what we were doing."

Cameron laughed softly and rested her forehead on Ratchet's shoulder. "Come on, let's go."

"You promised." He breathed in her ear.

"I know." She pulled back and pulled him towards the door and Jamie. "And I keep my promises."

With a defeated groan Ratchet followed her towards the human.

"Sorry you saw that." Cameron apologised.

Jamie's face hadn't yet lost its color. "That's okay. Who's the guy?"

"Oh, right, this is Ra…y. Ray. Ray Chet. He works here sometimes." Cameron said quickly, hoping that Jamie hadn't noticed the name and wishing she could have thought of a better one.

Jamie held out his hand. "Hi Ray, I'm Jamie. Are you with the marines?"

Ratchet eyed the hand for a moment and Cameron thought that he wouldn't take it. Her fears were assuaged when Ratchet gripped Jamie's hand tightly. Cameron saw Jamie flinch.

"Yeah, I come out to the base now and then to make sure everything's all right." Ratchet's tone didn't encourage any questions.

Jamie nodded and looked back to Cameron. "I just came to see if you were all right, you disappeared and never came back." His eyes flicked to Ratchet. "Now I see why."

Cameron smiled sheepishly and rubbed at the back of her neck.

Jamie cleared his throat. "Right, well I've done just about as much as I can with what you've shown me. I'll take the notebooks with me and get Dr. Vickers to have a look at them as well. Hopefully she should be able to get everything sorted out."

Cameron nodded and wished that the awkward air around their conversation would disappear. Jamie was a nice guy and it wasn't fair that they should be uncomfortable around each other now that Ratchet had made his possession of her obvious.

"I'll be going now, gotta get back to the hospital and at least pretend that I'm an intern." He cracked a smile and stepped back. "I'll call you when Dr. Vickers has an answer."

"Okay. I'll look forward to it." Cameron smiled and waved as the young doctor turned and started walking.

Ratchet's arms wrapped around her waist from behind her. His simulated breath tickled her ear. "Can we go back into the room now? The human's gone and no one will disturb us."

Cameron pulled out of his arms. "No, you were so rude to him. I can't believe that you are actually threatened by him."

"I wasn't threatened; I was merely showing him that you belonged to someone else."

"Whatever, you can just wait for what you want. I'm going to say goodbye properly."

With that Cameron turned her back on Ratchet's holoform and marched towards the main hangar. Behind her the image dissolved and she felt Ratchet tug at her through their bond, she blocked it.

Frustration and anger ran through Cameron as she continued to walk away from her quarters. Ratchet should have known better than to try and intimidate Jamie, it was unnecessary and childish. He had once accused Ironhide and Scorponok of behaving like sparklings but Cameron was fairly sure that description could be applied to him as well.

She loved him to the very depths of her soul but if he was going to act like a cave-man whenever she was around another guy he was going to have a very difficult life.

Jamie saw her enter the hangar just as Ironhide transformed to take him back to town. He smiled and waved, looking far more at ease now that Ratchet wasn't hovering over her. Cameron waved back as Ironhide drove away, knowing that it annoyed her other half.

Ratchet entered the hangar behind her. Throwing a glare over her shoulder Cameron marched away from him. She moved towards Jazz and the Decepticons.

"Where's Bumblebee?"

Jazz looked down. "Sam called this mornin'. He's on vacation so Bee went to see him."

Cameron grinned. "Always the guardian. Are they coming back here?"

"Bee said somethin' along those lines."

Cameron raised her voice so that Ratchet could hear her. "Goody, another human boy."

Across the room Ratchet growled at her.

"Problems in paradise?" Jazz asked looking between them.

"No problem. Ratchet's just being jealous and rude."

"The fightin' was bound to start sooner or later." Jazz chuckled and ducked a flying wrench.

"Why do you say that?"

"Couples fight, it's inevitable. Difference in opinions and all that."

"Have you and Bumblebee fought?"

"Dozens of times. Our personalities are too different for it to be any different." Jazz assured her.

"And one of them usually ends up in my medbay." Ratchet said coming closer.

"But that's after we've made up." Jazz grinned. "Looks like the only one going to the medbay this time is you."

"He'll be alone too." Cameron added crossing her arms.

Ratchet frowned at her. "I won't apologise for behaviour that was justified."

"You didn't have to almost break his hand."

"That's what you're angry about? I shook his hand too hard?"

Cameron continued to glare at him. "You were trying to prove you were superior to him."

"I wasn't trying, I succeeded."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "You're such a child."

A shimmer of energy behind her was Cameron's only warning before she was engulfed in the warm embrace of Ratchet's holoform. He nuzzled at her neck.

"You still love me."

All the irritation Cameron had been feeling melted away; he was too hard to stay angry with.

She turned in his arms. "You're lucky that I do or you would be in a whole lot of trouble."

His crooked smile drew an answering one from her. His arm tightened around her waist and he pulled her off the floor. Cameron grinned down at him with her feet kicking lightly in the air.

The honk or a car horn and the grumble of an engine alerted them to Bumblebee's return. Cameron's feet landed back on the concrete as Ratchet's hologram disappeared. With a smile blooming on her face Cameron ran to the car. A young man climbed out and patted the roof. He looked different yet similar to the Sam she had last seen several months ago. He looked bigger now, less weedy. The masculine appearance was helped by the light stubble covering his cheeks.

"Sam?"

The man looked up and smiled. Yep, definitely Sam. Cameron raced over to her friend and jumped into his arms. Next to them Bumblebee transformed. Cameron unwrapped her arms from around his neck and stared into Sam's dark eyes.

"How have you been? You look great. How's Mikaela?"

Sam stepped back a pace. "She's good. I'm good. We're good. What's been happening around here? I tried to pry some info out of Lennox but he wouldn't give." His gaze went to the Decepticons. "Who are they?"

"Decepticons. They came to find Megatron."

Sam frowned and moved with her towards Jazz and Ratchet. He looked around again. "So, what's new?"

"Not a lot." Cameron replied. "Well that's a lie, we have them." She pointed at the wall. "And we're that much closer to leaving for Cybertron. Barricade and Frenzy have made themselves very helpful, Scorponok is still sleeping off his surgery and I have shiny new skin."

"Sounds like you've been busy around here." Hi eyes passed over her metal skin and shook his head as if he should have expected it.

Cameron shrugged. "Gotta do something to make the time pass."

He grinned. "Anyway, tell me everything that's been going around here. I've heard rumours but that's it. I've been trying to get details out of Will but he said he couldn't tell me anything. Said something about me not having enough clearance."

"Really? Wow, I haven't seen Will in ages. Come to think of it I haven't seen many humans since I moved in here. The last ones I saw were Dr. Vickers and her research team."

Sam ran a hand through his hair. "Do you remember a guy called Watson in that group?"

Ratchet made another growling sound. Cameron shot him a look. "Yeah, I know him. What about him?"

"Lennox told me what he could, this Watson guy has connections all over the government; CIA, FBI, even Sector 7. His history is higher than classified."

Cameron nodded to show she was listening.

"Apparently Watson has been running all over the place singing your praises. That's why no one's touching you, why the military stay at the outpost three miles away."

"I told you he wasn't bad." Cameron said triumphantly.

Sam held out a hand. "I never said that. He's caught that attention of a suit called Lores. He's been here too, months ago."

Cameron nodded and rubbed her right arm. "I vaguely remember him."

"Well, when he _was_ here, he saw you use your power. Now with Watson bringing you more attention, Lores may be considering keeping you on Earth."

Cameron stared in shock. "Keeping me here? He can't stop me leaving."

"Not just you." Sam's eyes flashed to the Autobots.

Cameron gaped. "He can't do that. If they stop us from leaving there's no way I'll help them."

"Your help may not need to be voluntary." Sam said meaningfully.

"They'd force me?" Cameron's voice trembled.

Ratchet snarled and stood over her. "They won't touch you."

Sam's eyes went wide at Ratchet's show of protectiveness. Cameron turned slightly as she felt power ripple behind her. Ratchet's mech holoform appeared and Cameron leaned into him as his arms went around her waist. Sam gaped. To the side Optimus Prime frowned.

"Why would they want to control Cameron?" Bumblebee asked.

"She controls a lot of power Bumblebee, she could be a deadly weapon."

"Living weapons are unpredictable, they're only useful if voluntary."

"Or if you're holding something important over them." Jazz replied and looked at Cameron and Ratchet. "Like the safety of their spark-mate."

"They'd need to get near us first." Ratchet held her tighter to help fight the fear blooming in her heart.

Sam held out his hands, placating. "Guys, this is hypothetical. We don't know that anyone will actually want to come here, let alone hurt you. I was just letting you know what Lennox was worried about. You just have to be very careful; people are making a lot of noise over you."

Cameron twisted in Ratchet's arms. "I'm still worried. What if something happens and they dissect me because I won't help them? They'll kill me for the Allspark's power."

Electric blue optics gazed into her eyes. "I would never let that happen."

Cameron's smile was trembling as Ratchet pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Cameron sighed and rested her head on his metal chest.

"Sam, you are going to attract flying insects." Bumblebee said, disturbing the peace.

Cameron turned her head to see Sam staring at them with his mouth hanging open. She giggled.

"Bumblebee, the term is 'catching flies' and yes Sam, close your mouth."

He fish mouthed for a few seconds before any sound actually came out. "What was that?"

Ratchet's brow went up. "It was a kiss. Do you need another demonstration?"

Cameron grinned and tipped her head back. Smooth metal lips touched hers again, she curled an arm around his neck to keep him there a little longer.

She heard Sam infront of them. "That's more than a little disturbing."

Cameron broke away from Ratchet laughing. The look on Sam's face was priceless; slightly sick and full of shock.

"What's wrong Sam?"

"You two…it's just weird. I mean, you're a human and he's a robot. It's not…right. When did it happen?"

She did some calculations in her head. "About a week ago, give or take."

Sam gave them a freaked out look before pointedly turning his attention to Bee and Jazz, only to find them locked together as well. A hand came up to shield his eyes.

"Ahh! Now I know how you spend the day."

"What? We just wanted to join in." Jazz purred.

"You just can't win, can you Sam." Cameron asked with a small laugh. "Give up Sam and accept it…Ratchet you stop can stop now, he's seen enough."

The mech groaned but removed his hands from her body.

Cameron left Ratchet to loop her arm through Sam's and pulled him towards the couch. "Come on, tell me all about college."

They whiled away the afternoon talking and reminiscing. Draped on Cameron's couch infront of the wide-screen tv, they managed to pretend that they were once again carefree high-school kids. Messing around and laughing, the only person missing was Mikaela.

By the time the sun had disappeared below the horizon Cameron and Sam had completely caught each other up and Cameron had wrung a promise of further visits from Sam and, consequently, Mikaela.

Cameron once again stood at the door of the hangar, watching as her friends got further away from her. Bumblebee and Jazz had volunteered to take Sam home. Cameron didn't need to think hard about why they were both taking the boy home; everyone needed time to themselves or just to be alone together.

Looking at Optimus Prime, Cameron could sense the strain in him, the need to be with those he cared about, those he loved. Ironhide shared the same pain radiating from Prime. He managed to work through most of it by shooting up the practice range or, like he was tonight, by spending time with Lennox's family. But their longing still called to her, made her want to heal them.

The only one Cameron couldn't sense the aching pining coming from was Barricade. The ex-Decepticon kept mostly to himself, sharing his inner-most thoughts with Frenzy should the need arise. Cameron hadn't yet managed to find anything in Barricade's processor concerning his life outside the war but she was determined to keep trying.

Leaving the main hangar behind Cameron followed the familiar path to the medbay. Ratchet would be there, sitting at his desk with a datapad or cleaning some piece of equipment.

The peaceful atmosphere of the medbay was assisted by the soft hum of machinery and the tinkles of a wind-chime she had hung next to a window. The night breeze drifted through the open window, stirring the chimes and bringing a fresh smell to wrap around her. Drawing the scent deep into her Cameron reflected that she really loved being in the medbay. It wasn't just that Ratchet was almost certainly always there, it was because it was a place of healing and comfort.

A smile lifted her lips as she spied Ratchet exactly where she imagined him, behind his desk. The medic looked up as she entered the office.

"Sam gone home?"

"Yep."

Cameron moved to the section of his office that she had converted. A three-seat couch with several throw pillows sat next to a desk lamp on a side table. It was a small refuge for Cameron, somewhere she could rest while Ratchet worked.

"Ironhide is with Captain Lennox?"

"Yep." She pulled a small book out of the table's draw and turned on the lamp.

"I cannot detect the signals of Optimus Prime, Jazz, Slider or the Decepticons near the base."

Cameron settled into the soft cushions. "Jazz is with Bee. Optimus went out on a scouting mission with the others. They'll be back soon."

"What about Thundercracker and Skywarp?"

She smiled up at him. "They're in stasis, you put them there."

He nodded and returned his attention back to the datapad in his hand. Cameron settled deeper into her couch and found the page she had left off.

* * *

Cameron looked up from her book, a fairly interesting novel about vampires, to find Ratchet staring at her from the other side of his desk, his optics had a dark light in them and his hands curled around the datapad. She felt turbulent waves of emotion coming through their bond.

"Ratchet, you okay?" Cameron asked. He nodded softly. "Thinking about something?" He nodded again. "What?"

A small smile lifted his lips. "You."

Cameron smiled. "Oh, really? Good thoughts?"

"Very good." His optics darkened even more and his voice went rough.

Heat stole up through Cameron's face. Why was she blushing? He hadn't said anything that could possibly be considered embarrassing or naughty. As if he was reading her thoughts, Ratchet flooded her mind with images. Very wicked and enticing images. This time when Cameron blushed she went full red.

"Pervert." She muttered as she buried her nose into her book.

Ratchet's laughter sent thrills through Cameron's body and she fought down a smile. He could try and get a rise out of her but she wasn't going to play his game. Absolutely not.

But Ratchet had other ideas, he'd been watching her for a full ten minutes before she had looked up and in that time he had mused about what changes he'd have to make to his life now that she was his. A slow smirk grew on his face as he studied her. She really was adorable, hiding in her book with only the top of her head visible. His little human, his Allspark. He couldn't wait to introduce her to Wheeljack, the scientist would probably off-line himself in excitement, and demand to study her. Ratchet frowned as the image of a blackened Cameron coming out of a smoking laboratory swam through his head.

"What the hell?" Cameron burst through his thoughts. "First you have me polishing your armor wearing nothing but lacy underwear, and then I look like I just got blown up."

Ratchet looked up to see her standing on his desk glaring at him. He couldn't help but smile back at her. "I'm sorry, my thoughts were wandering."

"I'll say." She humphed and went back to reading.

_#Would you prefer I go back to my previous thoughts?#_

_#I would prefer to finish my book without interruption.#_

He could sense her arousal even as she glared at him over the top of the page before bringing the book once more to her face. Ratchet re-sensitized his optics so he could see the title of the book she seemed so absorbed by. _Bitten in the Night._

It sounded like one of those romance novels Jazz classified as 'trashy', a quick search on the internet confirmed it. Within seconds Ratchet had downloaded and processed the entire book. He was slightly disappointed that Cameron would read something so lacking in substance, on the other hand it did provide him with some ideas.

Preparing his body's systems to go into recharge, he left on-line only what was necessary to maintain his holographic-generator. Activating that small machine in his body, Ratchet felt the strange sensation of being in two places at once, seeing through two different perspectives. He let his mind slip into his holoform. A moments disorientation was all he felt before he focused on Cameron. She was stretched out on the couch with one leg up to brace the book and a mound of pillows under her back. Ratchet crept up infront of her, hidden from view by the trashy novel. He knelt on the floor next to her bare foot. A sensual grin spread across his face as he began to massage her foot. Cameron jumped and lowered the book, her eyes wide.

"What are you doing?" She asked as he pressed a kiss to the arch of her foot.

"Ruining the end of your book." He skimmed his lips along the inside of her calf, his hands massaging softly.

He felt the surge in her hormones, the increased heartbeat and suddenly shallow breathing. He used more pressure on her calf as he circled her knee with kisses. He looked up to see her eyes, they stared back at him, heavy-lidded and dark. He moved higher, pulling the book from her fingers. Her hand dropped to his shoulder and curled around his neck.

She swallowed. "And how is this ruining my book?"

Ratchet grinned as his lips skimmed along the denim covering her thigh. Her hands gripped in his hair and he was forced to lift his head. He smiled smugly. "You're no longer reading it."

"I can read it later." Her mind was fragmenting as Ratchet's hands roamed over her body pushing clothing aside.

"Why would you want to, this is how it ends."

Cameron gasped and squirmed as he kissed his way up her stomach. She fought the pleasurable sensations as long as she could but soon ended up pulling him closer. He nibbled at her neck and Cameron arched to allow him more room. Heat spiraled from his mouth to curl through her and smolder in her belly. The heat emanating from his holoform warmed her body while his kisses made her burn.

Regretfully Cameron pushed Ratchet back enough to look into his face. "What are you doing?"

"Bonding." His smile sent heat through her again.

He knelt on the floor, his body between her legs, hands pulling her closer. Mouth to mouth, chest to chest, stomach to stomach, they strained closer. Cameron's arms wrapped around his shoulders and her hands clenched in the soft material he chose to cover his holoform. He shifted and Cameron was pushed deeper into the cushions, his body covering hers.

She broke their kiss. "Ratch, this isn't going to work."

"Why?"

Heat stole up her cheeks as she suddenly felt shy and embarrassed. The words came out softly. "My body is pure metal from my neck down. We can't do _It_. I'm not built that way anymore."

Ratchet paused for a moment, a small frown on his perfect face, Cameron wanted to smooth it away. The frown melted away and was replaced by a purely sensual leer. Cameron swallowed and blinked as he reared away from her. His arms went around her and he lifted her off the couch. Cradling her against his chest Ratchet walked towards his recharging body.

"Ratchet, what are you doing?"

His eyes shone dark with desire. "I'm going to bond with you tonight one way or another."

Cameron felt an answering tug of longing in her. She tightened her arms around his neck and started to press kisses to his neck.

A tremor passed through Ratchet's holoform as he let go of her legs and let her slide down the length of his body. Desire spiked in Cameron and she was reluctant to let go even as the image faded. Turning to face Ratchet's real body, Cameron was pleased to see him already reaching for her. The warmth in the metal surprised her but not much, she was already reaching for his armor. She grabbed hold of the plating on his chest, using it to anchor herself, she climbed over his chassis to sit on the bumper guard. Leaning over him she pressed kisses to the sides of his face, lining his lips and chin. She moved back, running her hands across the pipes and wires that made up his neck. He quaked under her.

Embracing as much of him as she could Cameron drew on the Allspark's power. The barriers between their minds disappeared and they were one being, wanting only to get ever closer.

Ratchet's body trembled under her as she set about sending small energy pulses through his systems, activating sensory nodes and running her hands over smooth metal to dive between seams. Ratchet's systems went haywire as he felt her energy surge through him. Fighting to keep some semblance of control, Ratchet focused on returning the sensations that were cascading through his circuits. Resting the tips of his fingers on her back he sent electrical currents flowing into her. He watched with satisfaction as she arched and writhed against his hand. The small movements her body was making only served to increase Ratchet's desire.

Their exchange of energy pulses soon had them on fire, Ratchet's cooling-systems had blown and he was panting to keep the air cycling through him. On his chest Cameron thrashed as she tried to ease the ache in her body. A silent command between them had Ratchet releasing the locks on his chest plating. The metal opened with a hiss, exposing his spark.

Cameron was stunned by the sheer beauty of Ratchet's spark. It glowed with such purity that she was humbled by it. She reached out tentatively, stretching her hand towards the warm, pulsing light. The luminous glow surrounded her fingers almost tenderly, sending warmth and love straight through her to pierce her heart.

With as much care and gentleness as she could muster Cameron reached in with both hands and cupped the shinning ball of energy. Beneath her Ratchet arched and groaned. Through their bond Cameron could feel what he was feeling, knew what he wanted her to do. Biting her lip to keep her concentration she summoned the light from her own heart, transferring it to her hands. Melding her metal fingers with Ratchet's spark she sent her power into it. A returning surge of pure power, electrical and bright, flowed through her, making the most delicious sensation bloom under her skin. Ratchet's frame shook and sparked as they exchanged energy. Cameron's body took on a life of it's own as it reveled in their connection. She peaked, tipped her head back and cried out, followed shortly by Ratchet.

* * *

**My God! That was hard to write. I had no clue how hard it would be. I'm sorry if it wasn't that good, I've never written it before. I have so much admiration for the authors who write this stuff so well.**

**Please review and let me know what you thought.**


	36. Chapter 36

****

Yes I am still alive!

**I'm so sorry that it has taken me so long to update. I should be able to post more regularly since i no longer work. Yay! That job was terrible.**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I wasn't sure how well that last chapter would be taken so I'm real happy that you liked it.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 36**

Jamie Watson watched the slowly changing numbers as the elevator went down. Twenty-five levels below the ground the elevator stopped. He would have to change elevators on this level if he wanted to reach his destination. Stepping out off the metal box, Jamie made his way through the corridors searching for the next elevator.

Inserting his ID card, the camouflaged doors opened with a soft hum. He descended a further fifteen levels before finally reaching the floor he wanted. The doors opened again and he walked through the beige utilitarian corridors. His target sat in the middle of this maze of hallways.

Jamie nodded to the men he knew. They had all been part of Sector 7 longer than he had but Jamie refused to feel sorry for them. Even if he had any sympathy for them, his thoughts were already occupied with a pair of green eyes and smooth silver skin.

Finally finding the door with the appropriate name etched on the glass, Jamie entered without knocking. A man with dark hair and suspicious eyes looked up.

"Agent Watson. What are you doing here?"

Jamie closed the door quietly. "I have some concerns regarding the aliens' sir."

Agent Simmons gestured to a chair. "What concerns?"

"Concerns about security." He replied as he sat on the hard chair.

Simmons steepled his fingers on the desk. "Could there be a breach that we are not aware of?"

"I would like to say no sir, but to be sure I would like access to the personnel records of the soldiers at the alpha base."

"We have a traitor amongst out own men?" The older man scowled.

"There's only one way to be sure sir."

Simmons nodded and hammered on the keyboard infront of him. Half a minute passed before Simmons looked up again.

"Anyone specific that you suspect?"

Jamie leaned forward eagerly. "Ray Chet."

* * *

Cameron groaned as she felt something push at her shoulder. She rolled onto her back and away from whatever was interrupting her sleep. The nudging became harder and Cameron gave up her fight for a sleep-in. Her eyes opened minutely, Mr. Perfect leaned over her, his brow scrunched with a frustrated frown. A smile lifted her lips and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Good morning."

Ratchet's frown deepened. "It's not morning anymore."

"Oh, well then, hello?"

"Hmm. Your father is here. He is in the main hall waiting for you."

Cameron shot up. "What? Why didn't you wake me earlier?"

He sighed. "I have been trying to wake you for ten minutes."

She struggled out of the blanket and threw her feet to the floor. "Quick, where are my clothes?"

Ratchet chuckled and kissed her swiftly before moving back and holding up her shirt. A blush crept up her cheeks as she took the top from him. It had been over a week since they had first bonded and she still blushed like a schoolgirl.

When she was fully dressed Cameron finally stopped and looked at Ratchet. His human projection was decked out in a very military-looking outfit. The khaki shirt fit well across his broad shoulders and the trousers hugged his long legs. Cameron's mind tallied up this new look and decided that it liked the look of him in a uniform, it was just missing one thing…

A grin spread on her face. "Does it come with a hat?"

His return smile was lascivious. "No, but it does come with handcuffs."

Cameron's blush increased. A small smile remained on her lips as she led the way to the main hangar.

Her father was pacing between Ironhide and Optimus Prime, Will Lennox and Sam sat at the table with a cup of coffee each, and Jamie Watson stood stiffly next to a beaten blue Jeep. Cameron leaned back and whispered. "You didn't say everyone else was here too."

Ratchet didn't reply. His side of their bond thrummed with tension. What was going on?

The moment her father saw her he rushed to her side, she hugged him tightly.

"Darling are you all right?" He asked, ignoring the man behind her.

"I'm fine Dad. What's going on?" She threw a look at the men around them.

Jonathan looked uncomfortable. "The government has decided to take a larger role in what happens here as your departure date gets closer."

Cameron's excitement for leaving was tempered by her unease over the government's interference.

"Ok. How can I help?"

Jamie came closer. "Just stay out of the way."

Cameron blinked. "Jamie, what's wrong?"

The man scowled and stalked forward angrily. Ratchet moved into a defensive position next to her. Jamie stopped inches away from Ratchet, his eyes dark with emotion.

"This man doesn't exist. Who are you?"

Cameron exchanged a look with Ratchet before speaking. "Of course he exists. Look." She poked Ratchet in the arm several times. He lifted a brow and she felt his amusement through their link.

Jamie's frown darkened. "Yes he is here, we can see him. But there is no Ray Chet stationed at any military base in this state."

Behind him Jonathan's face became thoughtful. At the table Sam sniggered and Will looked at him curiously.

"Then obviously I am not with your military."

"Then who are you with?"

"The military." Ratchet replied with a smirk.

Sam stuffed a fist in his mouth to stop laughing. Cameron hid her own smile behind her hand.

Will wasn't as silent with his thoughts. "Wait, Ray Chet? As in Ratchet?"

All eyes turned to the medical officer lounging against a wall. The green mech smiled indolently and crossed his arms over his chest. Cameron shared a secret smiled with him. The holoform wrapped its arms around her waist.

Will looked back to her and then to Ratchet. "I'm not getting involved." He muttered and sipped his coffee.

Jonathan turned back towards his daughter and choked on the words in his throat. The unknown man that Watson seemed to dislike had his arms wrapped around Cameron. Paternal outrage filled him until he saw the smile on her face. She wasn't looked at the man behind her but her hands were caressing his.

Jonathan's confusion wasn't helped when Agent Watson emitted a strangled cry. The man's face was a study of disbelief as his eyes darted between Cameron and the green robot.

"You…and you?" The disbelief turned to disgust.

Jonathan look to his daughter, she wore an expression of careless indifference. She shrugged at Watson. "I like shiny things and he's very shiny."

Watson sputtered and Jonathan watched as his face went red. Jonathan felt a current in the air and returned his gaze to his daughter, only to sputter and stare like Watson. Instead of a man behind her, now there was a smaller version of the green robot. Cameron's smile was no longer on the giant robot but on the one behind her.

Cameron saw her father's face go from confused to white. She quickly disengaged herself from Ratchet and moved closer to Jonathan.

"Dad, are you all right?"

"What is he?" He pointed over her shoulder at Ratchet.

Cameron threw a look back at her bonded's holoform and smiled, she was rewarded with a wave of love through their bond. She turned back to her father.

"He's a hologram, produced by Ratchet so he can be closer to my size."

"Why would he need to be your size?"

Cameron hesitated, she knew this would be difficult for her father to take in but she also knew that her family would have to be told eventually.

"We're together. He's my bonded."

"And what does that mean?"

Mr. Perfect was back and next to her again. "In human terms, Cameron is my soul-mate."

Jonathan didn't look pacified. "How long has this been going on?"

Cameron leaned back into Ratchet. "I'm not sure, it just kinda developed." Ratchet stepped infront of her protectively.

"I'm not sure that this is the best relationship for you Cameron."

"Do you think to separate us human?" Ratchet asked dangerously.

Cameron stepped between the men before the medic displayed his ultra-human strength. She turned to Sam for help and instead found Will looking at them with a strange expression, as though he had seen something bizarre.

What could she do or say to help them understand? They still thought of her as a human so her relationship with Ratchet must look a whole lot weirder to them than it did to her.

Thinking back Cameron realized that she had thought her attraction to the medic had been strange too. Dismissing their similar reactions she hoped that they would soon change their minds.

Jonathan's arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her away from Ratchet. Cameron stilled the medic with a thought and went with her father.

"For the moment I'm going to ignore what just happened, although I had hoped that you had gotten past liking inappropriate males after what happened with that Harvey boy. But apparently not. What was his name? Scott? Steven?"

"Dad, please don't get started besides Ratchet's a doctor, he's a good catch."

"Watson's a doctor." He pointed out wryly.

Cameron nodded. "Yes he is, but I love Ratchet and nothing is going to change that."

Jonathan raised a hand placatingly. "All right, I'll leave that alone, for now. The other thing I wanted to talk to you about, the reason I came here actually other than to check on you, is you leaving. I'm not sure I'm willing to part with you just yet sweetie, especially to a bunch of metal aliens."

He drew her into a hug. Cameron wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. Tears threatened to escape her eyes. In all the excitement of the Autobot base she hadn't realized how much she missed her family. She pulled back slightly.

"How Mum and Mitch?"

"They're fine. Your mother was very worried when you didn't call but I told her you contacted me."

"Thanks Dad, it's been hectic with the Decepticons and everything."

"That's no excuse for not calling you family. " He said with parental censure.

Cameron ducked her head. "Yes sir, I'll remember that."

"Call your mother tonight and let her know you're okay."

She nodded and smiled. They continued to walk around the perimeter of the hall, a comfortable silence hung between them. Eventually Jonathan stopped and turned Cameron to look at him.

"There was just one other thing. Before I was allowed to come here the department asked me to get a favor off you."

Cameron frowned. "What kind of favor would the government want from an eighteen year old freak?"

Jonathan rubbed at the back of his neck. "They want you to help with some weapons development."

"What? No way." Cameron declared loudly. A soft touch to her spark from Ratchet calmed her down. She breathed deeply. "Dad you know I don't like weapons."

_#You do realize you are a powerful weapon.#_ Ratchet said.

She glared darkly at the medic whom smiled back. She looked back to her father. "I'm not doing it."

Jonathan sighed. "Just think about it. I've been told that if you agree to help, they will schedule your shuttle to be finished within the month."

"They're trying to bribe me?" Cameron was astounded.

Jonathan nodded. "It looks that way. But if you don't want to go through with it, and I don't blame you if you don't sweetheart, I have to let my superiors know."

Cameron nodded. "Just out of curiosity. How long will it take for the shuttle to be finished if I don't help?"

"I'm not sure, a few months, maybe up to a year."

A year! They couldn't wait that long. The longer they stayed on Earth the higher the risk of being found out. All it would take was a curious teen or fanatic to get past their defenses and snap some pictures, and then they would be up the creek with no paddle.

Pushing a list of horrible consequences out of her head Cameron centered her mind. Maybe she should at least consider what her father was asking.

"Dad, can you give me a couple of days to think about it? It's not just me that this would affect."

"Of course. I didn't think you'd make the decision today."

Cameron pushed a hand through her hair. "Thanks Dad. Will you come back?"

Jonathan smiled warmly and pulled her close for another hug. "Nothing could keep me away."

* * *

Cameron stood outside the imposing doors, her hood pulled low over her face. Her father was on one side while Optimus' holoform stood on the other. The door opened and Jamie ushered them inside. Cameron still wasn't sure whether this was a good idea or not. Unease flowed through her thoughts and she tried to suppress it. Ratchet was like a shadow in her mind, a calming influence.

The night after her father had visited Cameron had sat down with all the mechanoids and discussed the pros and cons of doing what Jonathan had asked of her. Optimus had suggested caution, Jazz and Bumblebee backed that idea, Barricade and Frenzy were all right with anything that would get them back to Cybertron and Ratchet was fully against it. Slider and Scorponok had sat behind Cameron silently, as long as it didn't interfere with their bond with the Allspark they didn't mind.

So now here she was, walking into a government building far from her friends and unsure of what was waiting inside. She brushed against Optimus' mind just to remind herself she wasn't alone. His hand closed over hers.

The inside of the building was fairly similar to the outside, dull and unassuming yet terribly intimidating. Cameron swallowed a bubble of fear and followed the doctor. She needed to be strong and focused if she was going to get through this without revealing too much to these government bullies. Jamie led them through several hallways and various rooms containing people and strange machines, he explained what each room was studying but Cameron didn't absorb any of it. She'd ask Prime what he was talking about later.

Finally they stopped in a large theatre. The walls rose two storeys high and lights shone a bright glare off the bare walls. In the center of the room were a small group of suits. Cameron immediately wanted to retreat but couldn't since Optimus still had control of her hand. Pushing her rising worry away, Cameron pasted a polite smile onto her face as they approached the Government officials. A man separated himself from the group and moved to meet them.

"Miss Oakham, it's good to see you again. How are you?"

Cameron wracked her brain to remember who it was now shaking her hand. He looked awfully familiar but she still couldn't place his face.

_#__Adrian Lores_.# Ratchet told her. #_He works with Defense Secretary Keller.#_

"I'm fine, thank you Mr. Lores."

He smiled and nodded. "Good, good. Now I asked that you come here just so you could answer some questions."

Cameron nodded and stepped forward, Optimus and her father in step with her. A slightly balding man stepped away from the group. A small smile appeared on Prime's face.

"Defense Secretary Keller."

"Optimus Prime. It's good to see you again."

Optimus nodded and scanned the room. Keller looked down at Cameron and she felt the urge to hide behind the men.

"You must be Cameron Oakham." Keller held out his hand.

She shook his hand warily and smiled. "Hello."

"I'm glad that you agreed to come today. As we speak there are people working on the shuttle."

"Thank you Mr. Keller, but I won't be doing or saying anything until I get some things."

A frown crossed Lores' face. "This isn't a negotiation."

Cameron smiled stiffly. "I know but I think you need me more than we need you."

Keller rubbed his chin. "What is it you want?"

Encouraged because she hadn't been shot down she replied. "I want to see my family again before I leave, and not just over a video, I want to see them in person."

Keller looked thoughtful. "I'll think about it. Anything else?"

Cameron shook her head. "No, I didn't think much beyond that. If I think of something else can I let you know?"

The older man smiled. "I'll think about it."

Cameron turned to her father and shrugged. "Oh well, it was worth a try."

Jonathan smiled back and led her over to meet the rest of the group. Much to Cameron's surprise Dr. Vickers was there waiting as well. The woman greeted her warmly even though they had only met the once. The two other men there were heads of the science faculties in the building.

"Miss Oakham, if you would come with us, we'd like to get started." One of the scientists waved to a door.

Cameron nodded and followed the man. Jonathan and Prime were close behind her; following them were the rest of the group. The scientist led her to a sterile room filled with beeping machinery. The unease grew in Cameron until she had to search for Optimus' hand again to ease it. She felt like a little kid going to the dentist or the hairdresser for the first time, having to hold their parents hand.

"If you would sit here, we can start the tests." He indicated to a steel table and lifted up a set of electrodes.

"Wait. You said nothing about test." She looked frantically at Optimus and Jonathan.

Dr. Vickers was next to her almost immediately. "Don't fret. They're just to monitor your heart-rate and breathing."

Cameron wasn't soothed. "I don't breathe and I don't have a human heart beat."

The scientist looked between each other and started discussing something quietly.

She turned accusing eyes to Lores. "You said I just had to answer some questions, not have tests done."

The suit's face didn't change, he didn't care. Jonathan stepped infront of her.

"What sort of tests do they want to do? I'm not putting her through anything invasive or otherwise unnecessary."

Cameron felt a warm surge of love towards her father. He was protecting her from the badies again, just like he had when she was little and scared of the monster in her closet.

Dr. Vickers stepped forward. "I promise, we just want to monitor some of her body's reactions. You see, Cameron intrigued me when I first met her. She said she didn't breathe anymore and I got curious as to what other changes her body has made since then. Her skin is of particular interest to me."

Jonathan seemed to accept this answer and moved aside. Cameron stared at the woman, trying to gauge whether she was being truthful or not, her answer had made sense and sounded legitimate but Cameron was still wary.

Reluctantly she sat for their tests while Keller and Lores asked her various questions concerning her powers and the way she interacted with the transformers. Cameron wasn't too sure of what to tell them about her relationship with Ratchet, so she said nothing about it. She was fairly sure that Jamie had told them all he had seen but she wasn't going to give them anything else. Jamie was leaning against a wall near the door. He seemed far more relaxed than he had before at the base. Now and then one of the scientists would interrupt with a question about her physiology and occasionally she would be asked to stand or walk around or draw in as much air as she could but mostly told them what they wanted to hear. It was only when they started asking about the Decepticons that Cameron felt she had to be extra careful with her answers. A short time later they dragged her to another room and Cameron displayed some of her powers, on their own and with props. She even accidentally exploded a small machine by flowing too much energy through it.

* * *

By the end of the day Cameron was more tired than she anticipated. Her eyes barely stayed open as she bid her father goodbye outside the building. The sun had already sunk below the horizon so Cameron didn't feel as worried about her silver skin showing since it was a fairly quiet part of town.

"Do you think Keller will let Mum and Mitch visit me?"

"I don't know, I'll talk to him and do what I can."

"Thank you Dad. I'll see you soon yeah?"

Jonathan nodded and stepped back as she climbed into Optimus' cab. Cameron waved as they pulled out. She was asleep before they reached the end of the street.

* * *

**Please review and let me know what you thought. The end is coming, I'm not too sure but I should be able to put together at least two more chapters before its over.**

**TammyCat**


	37. Chapter 37

**Hey all, before you start throwing things at me I would like to say sorry for taking so long.  
Also I would like to mention right now that I missed this story's aniversay. It has been up for a year now. I feel like a forgetful partner, so I understand if you send me to sleep on the couch :(**

**Aside from that, THANK YOU if you're still reading and enjoying this. I am trying to get my uploads quicker, this was actually one chapter but it was too long so this is part 1, part 2 should be up in a couple of days. It still needs slight tweeking.**

**StarSwoop: I love the idea of Frenzy in a veil. I could see it happening maybe lol**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 37**

Cameron glared at the male infront of her. His matching scowl did nothing to intimidate her. He had continued to annoy her since she had visited the government officials with Optimus Prime. Now he was stopping her from seeing her father.

"Move."

"No."

"…Move please."

"That's better but no."

Cameron quelled the urge to use the Allspark to get what she wanted. She had put up with three weeks of this behavior, making her increasingly irritated since he had only gotten worse. What did she have to do or say to get him to back off on this subject.

"He's my father, I'm allowed to see him.

"He is no longer allowed on this base."

Cameron's frown darkened. "Only Prime can make that decision."

"Wrong. I also have that authority if I feel that the situation warrants my interference."

"That's just what this is, interfering. Stop being so overbearing and let me see my father."

"No. this base is quarantined until I decide we are no longer at risk."

"At risk from what!?" She demanded loudly.

Ratchet didn't answer, he just turned on his heel and left the hangar. Unable to leave it at that, Cameron sent a barb of anger at his through their bond before blocking him out.

Jazz looked up from the tv. "Does that mean we're not goin' out?"

Cameron crossed her arms over her chest and continued to glare at the doorway the medic had gone through. Anger and frustration boiled in her veins until the pressure built, causing pain to shoot through her head. In an effort to relieve the pressure and ease her irritation Cameron hurled a bolt of Allspark energy towards one of the lights hanging from the ceiling. It exploded with a satisfying bang and a shower of sparks.

The blown lamp was still sparking when Bumblebee and Ironhide entered moments later.

"They still fighting?" Ironhide asked stepping around the shards of metal on the floor.

"Yep, still goin' strong. By the way, Ratchet's quarantined us until we leave."

"I thought only Optimus and you could do that." Bumblebee said dropping down next to Jazz.

"Apparently not. I'll warn you now, they're both likely to puncture something important if you try to talk to them."

Cameron scowled. "I'm still in the room Jazz."

"Sorry mini-spark." He didn't bother looking over his shoulder. "Didn't see you there."

Ignoring his blatant lie she glared at his back but didn't give in to the urge to treat him the way she had Ratchet. Causing him pain would be too easy and unfair.

* * *

Optimus Prime walked into the main area of his base to find Cameron sitting alone infront of the television. A quick scan of the hangar showed his Autobots stuck to the far wall next to the Decepticons. Optimus turned an expectant gaze to the small silver human sitting quietly by herself.

"Cameron, I'm sure there is a reason why my soldiers are attached to the wall but I fail to see it."

She didn't look up at him. "They didn't do what I wanted."

"Because that sounds mature." Jazz commented with his usual attitude.

Cameron glared and Optimus felt the lash of power in the air moments before Jazz yelped.

"What didn't they do?"

The eyes she turned to him were bright blue. They were the only evidence, besides the current predicament of the mechs, that she was using her powers.

"They refused to take me to my family."

"All of them?"

One shoulder moved in a half shrug. "Ironhide and Jazz refused. Bumblebee was irritating me with his teasing."

Optimus looked back to the strange display. She had only explained why three of the four were up there. "And what about Barricade?"

"Barricade's there?" Cameron's eyes widened and she turned to face the wall. The Decepticon fell to the ground. "Hmm, I thought he was someone else. Sorry 'Cade."

The dark mech shook his shoulders out and, with a glare at her, stalked out of the hangar.

"Hey, what about us?" Jazz demanded. Another ripple of power lanced the air and Jazz yelped again.

"How long have they been up there for?" Optimus asked.

She shrugged again. "Almost an hour."

Optimus shook his head as a door slid open to reveal Ratchet. The medic didn't look at his helpless friends or his extremely angry bonded as he moved forward.

"Optimus, we seem to have a problem."

"That's putting it lightly." Bumblebee remarked.

Prime waited for Cameron to attack again. When she didn't he turned back to Ratchet.

"Are we all referring to the same problem?"

Cameron sent him a cutting look. "I am not a problem."

"That's debatable." The medic replied dryly.

"I will pin you to the wall too. Don't push me."

Ratchet leaned down. "I'm the only one who can."

The stormy look that crossed Cameron's face did not bode well for Ratchet's immediate future.

"What is this all about?"

"I've quarantined the base and Cameron is…protesting."

"Putting it a little mildly aren't ya Ratchet?" Ironhide groused.

"Let them go Cameron. We'll discuss this like civilized beings." Optimus commanded.

She scowled slightly and flicked her eyes towards the captive Autobots, she raised a hand and snapped her fingers, and they fell to the ground with a loud crash. As the mechs picked themselves up, Prime turned to the medic.

"I'm going to have to lift your quarantine Ratchet." He ignored the satisfied sound Cameron made. "For the next few weeks we're going to be working fairly closely with the humans. Cameron included."

Ratchet's optics narrowed for a moment before he straightened his shoulders and nodded. "Cameron will have only minimal contact of course."

The small silver human jumped to her feet. "Why are you trying to keep me away from everyone? They won't bite!"

Optimus turned his back on the arguing couple. He had seen too many bonded couples have troubles during their early years to know that Ratchet and Cameron would calm down soon enough.

"Jazz, I want you to look at some calculations." He passed a datapad to his lieutenant.

Jazz looked up from the datapad after reading it. "Will it really only take this long to get home?"

"If my estimations are correct and we don't run into any obstacles, yes."

"How long Jazz?" Bumblebee asked excitedly. Cameron and Ratchet broke off their fight to listen.

The officer grinned. "1649 vorn." Bee smiled back widely.

"How long is that?" Cameron wondered aloud.

Ratchet answered. "136,867 earth years."

Cameron's eyes bugged out of her head. "One hundred and thirty thousand and what!? How is that possible?"

"It is a rather long journey. Cybertron is in a completely different galaxy." Ratchet replied. "We took three times as long getting here because we had to stop and search for the Allspark."

Cameron stepped away, stunned as the enormity of the situation sank in. it would take them longer than any human could live to reach Cybertron. Longer than a hundred humans. She would never see the earth again. She would never see her family again.

The Autobots seemed to have noticed her reaction because they had stopped talking, or maybe that was just her brain muting the world so she could think. She turned back to the robots.

"I won't ever be coming back will I?"

They stared back but didn't reply. Taking their silence as her answer, Cameron dropped onto a chair and tried to stop the spinning in her head. She jumped when a set of hands appeared on her shoulders. Twisting her head she saw Ratchet's holoform, the concern that shone from his blue eyes consoled her slightly. He pushed past the barrier in their bond and she warmed as they were connected again, their fight forgotten.

"I'm never going to see my family again."

His hands started to massage her shoulders. "I'm sorry Cameron. That's the reality and we can't change it."

Cameron nodded as tears burned at the back of her eyes. "If I'm never going to see my family ever again, you have to let me see them before we leave."

The unsure expression on Ratchet's face warmed her heart even as she felt like crying. He loved her and she knew he would do this for her. His hands slipped off her shoulders to twine his fingers with hers.

"Are you sure? It may make you more upset."

She smiled softly, so that was why he had been against he father visiting, he'd been trying to protect her from a broken heart when they eventually had to leave. He was just trying to keep her safe.

"I have to see them, explain to them why I have to go. Especially my mother, she won't understand unless it's forced on her." Cameron thought about how her family would react to seeing her all silver, she smiled. "I'll miss them. I'll miss them horribly but I know there's no other choice, is there?" she looked at her hands.

"I'm sorry Cameron." Optimus replied.

She nodded and felt the tears slip from her eyes to run hotly down her face. The hands ran up her arms to cup her face. Ratchet tipped her head back and stared into her watery eyes.

"Do you want to stay here for a few more years? You can spend more time with your family. Cybertron will still be there even if we wait another four or five years."

Cameron closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. She couldn't think of this as forever leaving behind everything she had ever known. She had to think of it as her duty to Cybertron and the mechs she loved. At the very least she could see it as an adventure of massive proportions.

Cameron opened her eyes to see Ratchet looking back at her. Taking a deep breath she felt the air pass through the filters that now replaced her lungs, her body cooled and her head cleared. She shook her head and smiled.

"Earth will, hopefully, always be here but Cybertron's in trouble. The longer we put this off the harder it will be to fix things. Besides, the longer we stay here the higher the chance that we'll be discovered, and I don't particularly want to find myself on a dissection table."

Ratchet smiled back at her and lowered his head. His kiss helped ease the pain in her heart, it soothed the ragged edges of her nerves and told her everything would be all right. They broke apart and Cameron turned her gaze to the rest of the Autobots.

"Does that mean that you've made up and we won't be pinned to the wall again?" Jazz asked, leaning on the back of a chair.

Bumblebee crept up behind him. "That depends, did you like being pinned to the wall?"

Cameron grinned as Jazz grabbed Bumblebee's head and copied her and Ratchet.

* * *

Jonathan Oakham stared at the pile of folders in his in-tray. How on Earth had he managed to get so far behind with his work? The answer was obvious, the aliens Cameron was involved with.

Jonathan had never expected that, when he moved his family here, he'd have to deal with twenty-foot tall robots who were interested in his daughter. That thought brought to mind the fact that she was dating one of them. He groaned and dropped his head into his hands. The one thing he didn't need to see was his daughter kissing a robot, and he definitely didn't want to know anything else that went on. Jonathan shut that door before it drove him insane.

Instead he transferred his gaze to the photo of his family sitting on his desk. It had been taken back before Cameron's illness. She had been so young then, only thirteen. Her bright smile lit up her face, her green eyes filled with mischief. He missed those times, back when life had been that little bit easier and he had known his daughter didn't have cancer and that there were no such things as aliens. Let alone ones that wanted to take his Cameron away to another planet.

Jonathan was shaken from his thoughts by the hideous ringtone his wife had programmed into his cell-phone. He picked it up.

"Hello, Jon speaking."

"Hi darling, how's your day been?" Alana asked cheerfully.

"Slow. I'm behind so I might be working late tonight."

"Oh no. Well I have some news that should brighten your day."

Jonathan smiled. She was probably going to tell him about the new day spa she had found or a recipe that was part of her latest diet regime. He was about to tell her not to worry when she said something that stopped him completely.

"Cameron called me just before, she said she'd be back in town soon. She can't wait to see us. I'm so excited honey, I could die. My baby girl's coming home and this time I'm not letting her go."

Jonathan was stunned silent.

"Jon? Are you there?"

He nodded even thought his wife couldn't see him. "Yeah, sorry."

"Isn't it great she's coming home?"

"It's fantastic. Look darl, I have to get back to work but we'll talk more when I get home all right."

"All right, I'll see you tonight. Bye."

Jonathan placed the phone on the table as his mind whirled. What was Cameron doing? How could she say that to her mother without any authorization from the agency? Did she even realize the sort of fallout that could occur?

With his thought still racing around the potential problems caused by Cameron's unexpected phone call, Jonathan picked up the phone again and dialed. It rung several times before it was answered.

"Hello?..._You know what? I hate it when this happens_…Shut up Slider, I'm on the phone…_I am the phone!_" The higher voice argued, Cameron's laughter trilled through the earpiece.

"Cameron. Stop arguing. We have to talk."

"Oh hey Dad. What's up?"

"Your mother just called me. She had some wonderful news, apparently you're coming home."

An uncomfortable giggle came over the line. "Yeah about that, I was meaning to tell you."

"Before or after you showed up at the front door? Do you have any idea of the consequences of what you have done?"

"Well I thought about it and figured that whoever wants to stop me now has to tell Mum that she's not allowed to see me."

Jonathan was silent for a moment. He had to give Cameron credit for ingenuity. He didn't envy the person who had to break the news to Alana. With his luck though it would probably have to be him, maybe he would work really late tonight.

"Dad." Cameron brought him back. "Do you think you could get whoever needs to, to okay it?"

Jonathan rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. "I'll make a few calls and see what I can do. I'm not making any promises, there's a chance that I won't be able to make it happen."

"Thank you Dad. Will you come to the base soon?"

"If I can get through all this paperwork before doomsday." He smiled, Cameron laughed.

They exchanged only a few more words before ending the call. Jon braced his elbows on the desk, he stared at the phone. Who should he contact? His superiors? The supposedly disbanded Sector Seven?

A lightbulb should have gone off above his head as an idea came to him. He picked up the phone again and fished around in a draw for a business card. He grinned as he found it and dialed the number. It rang twice before it was answered.

"Hello, Mr. Secretary. It's Captain Oakham…Yes, my daughter is with the Autobots…We have a bit of a situation."

* * *

Cameron wrapped her arms around her as she climbed off the bed. Sure, sleeping in the medbay so she could be with Ratchet seemed like a good idea but damn it was cold. The only way to stay warm was to snuggle up to him. Not that she minded of course but when she had to get up it wasn't easy leaving him behind.

Shrugging into her bathrobe Cameron headed for the kitchen, if anything could wake her up it was energon. She stopped infront of a mirror just inside the medbay doors. Dropping the robe to the floor Cameron investigated the latest changes in her body. As expected her body from the neck down was completely metal but there was some changes to it as well. Stretching out her arm, Cameron studied a line of symbols that seemed to be carved into the bright metal. The inscription ran down the length of her arm from her shoulder to swirl across the back of her hand and her palm. She traced the strange writing. As her fingers moved over the lines, they lit up a bright blue.

Making a mental note to ask Ratchet about it later Cameron turned her exploration to her face. The only skin left was around her face. The metal ran along her jaw-line and over chin, it covered most of her forehead and all of her hair. In Cameron's opinion it made her look like a unfinished painting or one of those mannequins with no face, all she had to do was pretend everything still peach-toned was blank. Plus on top of all of that her green eyes had been completely taken over by neon blue.

She picked the robe up and pulled it on again and, running a hand over her silver hair, Cameron left the medbay. The corridors were just as cold as the medbay; she'd have to see about getting some heaters installed, even if they were leaving soon.

With the majority of her thoughts on energon Cameron didn't see the large humvee sitting in the middle of the hangar or the two men sitting at the table. So it was a surprised Cameron who walked out of the kitchen with a cube of energon to see her father and Will Lennox waiting for her.

Recovering from her shock, she smiled. "Hi Dad, Will, what brings you here?"

"The coffee." Lennox replied with a smile.

Cameron grinned back. "And here I was hoping it was my sparkling personality."

Jonathan stood and drew her into a hug. "Defense Secretary Keller has agreed to let Alana and Mitch see you."

"Really!" She moved back, her eyes wide.

"Yes. I've arranged for you to see them in two weeks. Unfortunately it'll be me who tells your mother just what you've been doing these last few months."

At the moment Ratchet's human holoform sauntered into the hangar wearing only jeans. Will stopped drinking to stare, Cameron had to cover her mouth to stop from laughing. Ratchet moved up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Morning." He kissed the side of her neck.

"Good morning. Where's your body?"

"Still recharging. My power-cells are almost totally depleted."

Cameron smiled and leaned her head back against his chest. "I'm sorry. That was my fault."

"Yes it was." Ratchet tried to sound grumpy but failed.

Cameron smothered her chuckle and looked up to see her father watching them, straight faced and tight-lipped. A slight twitch in his left eye concerned Cameron.

"Dad, breathe. Don't think, just breathe."

Slowly the tenseness fell from Jonathan's face. Cameron prodded Ratchet in the ribs, he rolled his eyes but stepped away from her. He moved towards the table, now wearing a shirt.

Hoping to get their conversation back on track, she said. "So in two weeks you, Mum and Mitch will be dropping by for a few hours. Maybe we can have a party."

Jonathan cleared his throat. "We won't be the only ones. Secretary Keller intends to be here too."

"Oh, well that's not too bad. Will you be telling Mum everything?"

"No." He looked at the men at the table. "You can tell her about him."

Cameron laughed and pulled her father to the table. He sat across from Ratchet but didn't seem inclined to chat. Cameron sat facing Will, who stared bemusedly between her and Ratchet. The medic didn't help matters by draping his arm over shoulders.

"Will, will you be there too?"

"Be where?"

"Here when Mum and Mitch visit. I was hoping to have as many people here as possible so they won't feel too intimidated by the Autobots."

"Sure, but that's if Sarah can get a sitter for Annabelle."

Cameron grinned and checked his name off the list in her head. Now all she needed was Sam and Mikaela, Sam's parents, maybe Robert Epps if Lennox could get in contact with him.

Two hours later Cameron said goodbye to her visitors and asked Will to try and get Epps for her party. Her father reminded her that discretion was necessary if she wanted to go ahead with her plans so she couldn't call her mother anymore unless it was from a secure line. Cameron told her father that Slider refused to be used as a phone anymore so she couldn't make a call even if she wanted to.

As they drove away Cameron turned to Ratchet. "How long until the shuttle is ready?"

"Between five and six weeks, conservatively."

"Then I'll only have roughly a month to say goodbye, that's if she's allowed to come back."

He rested his chin on top of her head. "Don't worry, love. Everything will be fine."

* * *

**Part 1 done, Part 2 coming.**

**AN: I only have one reference concerning the time differences between vorns and years, so if I was wrong, I'm sorry.**

**Please review if you're still interested in seeing the end of this story. I'm going to try and update regularly for these last chapters.**

**TammyCat**


	38. Chapter 38

**Here's the second half of what was meant to be one whole chapter...it's a bit long but I didn't think you'd appreciate me holding this back a few more days.**

**Thank you for the reviews. I still love all of you xoxo**

**So, here comes the family reunion and we all know how fun those can be. Especially when you get your Uncle and cousin mixed up because you've only ever met them once when you were five, then to top it all off you have to spend the following week with your father and his 'other' family.......Can you tell I try to avoid these events?**

**Side question - Has anyone seen the movie '_Australia_' yet? If you have, what did you think of it? I saw it today and thought Hugh Jackman looked very sexy :)**

**Enjoy!**

_#Comm. link#_

* * *

Chapter 38

Cameron waited tensely for her family to arrive. The two weeks had passed with excruciating slowness and it was all she could do not to run out and meet them halfway. In a failed effort to make the time pass faster Cameron had thrown herself into doing all that she could to help the scientists get the shuttle ready. Jamie had then told her that she could help by assisting Sector Seven's scientists. Cameron still didn't like the fact that he'd lied to her about the organization's termination.

Needless to say two weeks as being part of the agency's science experiments had left her irritated, sore, and desperately craving interaction with humans who weren't holding needles or other lab toys.

She quickly made one last check to be sure that everything in the hangar was perfect; the decorations were done, the food was prepared, not that she could eat any of it, and the Decepticon's were hidden by an extremely large partition. Cameron was still curious where Ironhide and Prime had found it.

Jazz, as the most non-threatening of the Autobots next to Bumblebee, sat in a corner trying to look as innocent as possible. He would be the first robot her family would see, and then when they stopped freaking out she would introduce Optimus Prime and the others.

Bumblebee and Ironhide were out picking up their charges, meaning Sam, Mikaela and the Lennox's would be arriving soon.

Twisting her hands to hide her nervousness, Cameron jumped as hands slid down her arms.

"You have to stop doing that." She grumbled as she turned to face Ratchet.

He grinned. "It's not my fault that you can't sense me."

"I can sense you; I just have a lot on my mind at the moment."

He hugged her tightly. "Don't worry so much. It will turn out fine."

"I hope so." She sighed

Ratchet kissed her lightly. "Someone just entered the perimeter."

Excitement and nervousness ran through Cameron's body, battling for dominance. Excitement won as she felt Ironhide's unique energy signature. Will and Sarah were here. Moments later the big black Topkick rolled through the doors. Cameron bounced on her toes as she waited for her first guests to appear.

"Sarah, Will. Thank you so much for coming."

"What about me?"

Cameron twisted her head to see another passenger climbing from Ironhide's cab. "Sergeant Epps. I didn't think you were coming."

"Well, I figured that since I was around when they arrived, I should be here to say goodbye." He shrugged and moved further into the hangar, his gaze going straight to Jazz.

Cameron smiled. She had only met Robert Epps a hand full of times but he had always seemed like a good guy. Her estimation was right since he was now talking animatedly with Jazz.

* * *

Jonathan looked down at the steering wheel and tapped his fingers on the soft rubber cover. They'd been stuck in traffic for twenty minutes and it didn't look like they'd be moving anytime soon.

"Honey, what time did you say we were supposed to be there?" Alana asked.

Jon checked his watch. "About ten minutes ago."

"Where's your phone? I'll let Cameron know we'll be late. "

She didn't wait for an answer; instead she went straight for the centre console. She'd already dialed before Jon got a chance to say a word. He froze as Alana waited for it to pick up.

"Hello? Cameron?... Oh, sorry Slider, I was looking for my daughter. Is she there?... Oh, well could you let her know that we're stuck in traffic and we'll be late…Thank you dear. See you soon."

Alana hung up and looked directly at him. "Who's Slider and why does she have Cameron's phone?"

Jon thought about how to answer and decided that the truth would be the best way to handle it. Alana had been pretty good about the whole situation when he'd told her several days ago. Then again Jonathan had expected that Mitch would take it worse, maybe even tell his friends, that's why they hadn't told him until last night at dinner.

"Slider is Cameron's phone."

"What?" Mitch blurted from the backseat.

"You're saying that the phone we got her for her birthday is actually one of these robots?"

"Cool!" Mitch exclaimed. "Can I have one?"

"We didn't buy her a robot, she turned the phone into a robot…It's complicated."

Mitch poked his head between them. "What are the other robots like? Are they massive and have cool weapons, like guns that shoot lasers?"

Jon chuckled. He should have known that his son would have found this more exciting than frightening. "Mitch sit back in your seat, I've never seen them fighting but they are very tall."

"I can't believe you knew about Cameron and didn't tell me." Alana groused quietly.

He sighed. They'd discussed this several times. "It was classified information. I only found out after she disappeared the first time."

"How many times has she disappeared?"

"Only twice as far as I know." He returned his attention to the road as the cars around his started moving.

Alana dragged a hand through her hair. "My baby had better not be hurt or you're sleeping on the couch for a month."

Jon risked a glance at his wife. She looked more worried than angry. As soon as she saw Cameron she would calm down he was sure, and hopefully he wouldn't be sentenced to the couch.

* * *

An arm wrapping around her shoulders drew Cameron back to her other guests. She smiled up at Sarah Lennox. "Thank you again for coming."

"You're certainly welcome." Sarah's warm smile did a great deal to calm her further as did her hug. "We'll do our best to help your mother and brother…adjust to the Autobots."

"That's not all they'll have to adjust to." Will said seriously. "I was informed today that, because you have been so accommodating recently, the shuttle will be ready within a couple of weeks."

"That leaves me even less time to say goodbye." Cameron replied dejectedly.

Sarah squeezed her shoulders comfortingly. "Don't worry, it'll be all right."

She smiled softly. "I'm being told that a lot lately."

"Then you should be listening and not borderline sulking." Sarah said with a smile.

A car horn out of their conversation. Bumblebee skidded into the hangar, narrowly missing the humans and Ironhide.

"Sam! Watch where your driving, you almost took us out." Will groused as Sam and Mikaela climbed out of the humming car.

Sam held out his hands defensively. "I wasn't the one driving."

_#Keep pulling stunts like that squirt and I'll use your bumper for target practice.#_ Ironhide growled.

The bright camaro shook in response. Cameron laughed and rushed over to greet Sam and Mikaela. Surprise lifted her eyebrows as Judy and Ron Witwicky climbed out behind Sam and Mikaela.

"Hello Cameron, you look…different." Judy said as she stepped forward.

"Woah, was this a fancy dress party and Sam didn't tell me?" Ron grinned and pulled her into a short hug once Judy had released her.

"So, is everyone here?" Mikaela asked.

Cameron shook her head. "My family hasn't arrived yet. They were supposed to be here by now."

"There was an accident on the highway, maybe they got stuck." Sam said as they moved closer to the other humans.

She nodded and smiled. The introductions were fairly quick since they all knew each other from before Cameron had even arrived in the country.

Sam started picking at the food before anyone else and he was quickly scolded by his mother. Complaining that he hadn't eaten lunch the boy dug straight back in, earning him a glare from all the women.

A slight tugging on the leg of her pants caused Cameron to look down. Slider stood next to her, trying to get her attention.

"You could just climb up here."

The red femme must have taken that as permission because she was immediately sitting on her shoulder.

"Your mother called."

Slider now had all her attention. "What did she say?"

"They're struck on the highway. They won't be here for a little while."

Cameron's shoulders relaxed as she released a sigh. "Well at least I know they're coming."

"Does that mean we can stop hiding?" Bumblebee asked, still in his car-form.

"Sure. I don't know how long until they get here so we might as well relax."

The grinding of gears and hiss of hydraulics filled the hangar as the two Autobots transformed. Bumblebee sauntered over to sit next to Jazz, while Ironhide moved to stand next to Optimus and Ratchet, who was once again recharging.

"What's up with Ratchet?" Sam asked when he noticed where she was looking.

"He's recharging, his power-cells are depleted. He'll probably join the party a bit later."

Mikaela wrapped an arm around Sam's waist. "Power-cells?"

"Yeah, they're like really big batteries. He's been recharging most of the day so he should be done fairly soon. He usually doesn't have to recharge during the day but he's been working a lot longer hours now that the shuttle is almost ready."

Sam looked at her slyly. "I'm sure that's the only reason he's out of energy."

"You're insinuations are crude and baseless." Ratchet said as he materialized beside them. His Mr. Perfect hologram smiled charmingly. "Even if they are correct."

Sam almost snorted in his drink. Mikaela patted his back until he'd stopped coughing. She grinned at Ratchet.

"Sam told me about you two. I have to say, it was unexpected."

A sudden scowl appeared on his face and he growled. "Are we not allowed to form a relationship?"

Mikaela fish-mouthed for a moment, stunned by Ratchet's unexpected hostility. Cameron and Sam stared.

"Ratchet, you know that's not what she meant. What's gotten into you?" Cameron clutched at his arm.

Ratchet ducked his head. "My apologies Mikaela, I did not mean to react so harshly."

"Is something wrong Ratch?" Sam asked wrapping an arm around Mikaela.

"No, I just overheard Ironhide talking with Lennox about Chromia, then Mikaela said our relationship was unexpected and I assumed she meant it was unwelcome."

"What's Ironhide got to do with anything?" Cameron looked up at him.

"Who's Chromia?" Sam asked.

"Ironhide and Chromia's partnership was not accepted for quite some time, at least until they proved that it was a viable union."

"Who's Chro-"

"What do you mean by viable?" Mikaela butted in over Sam. He glared at her but didn't try to ask his question again.

"Chromia was a brand new design." Ratchet replied. "She was programmed explicitly for combat, with only basic socialization skills. It was generally believed that her model wouldn't be compatible with any existing transformers."

"So, because they didn't think she'd be able to make friends, they didn't think she'd be able to bond?"

Mr. Perfect's head shook, his face scrunched as he thought. "To her, making friends would be like you sailing a fifteen-foot yacht solo. It just didn't happen. It was impossible. So when Ironhide claimed to have bonded with her, no one believed him."

"Not even you?" Cameron asked sadly.

"I was skeptical at first but after running several tests on both sparks, I concluded that they were as bonded as possible. Then they proceeded to reign terror over an unsuspecting Cybertron."

"She's quite the femme." Ironhide said above them.

"I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that you were the only one stubborn and persistent enough to get that trigger-happy femme to accept you."

Ironhide chuckled. "Those were good times."

Cameron stared at the large mech. "I don't want to know." She said finally.

Ratchet turned her to face him. "You know, I didn't wake up just to tell you Ironhide's life story."

"I've done more in my life than bond with Chromia." Ironhide defended.

"Little before and not much since. " Ratchet teased.

The Weapons Specialist glared at the medic and went back to stand with Prime. Sam dragged Mikaela after him so he could finally get an answer to his question,

"Like I was saying," Ratchet caught her attention again. "I didn't come online to talk about Ironhide."

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Nothing. I thought that I would take advantage of your family's absence and spend time with you until you send me back into hiding. Jazz, if you please." Ratchet took her hand as music started to play from the side Jazz was camped in.

"Ratch, what are you doing?"

"Dancing with you. Isn't that what humans do at parties? Although I only have theoretical knowledge on the steps, I'm sure it can't be too hard. The humans seem to be adept at it even though most of the time they are on the verge of falling over."

Cameron smiled up into the handsome face of her bonded and felt peace flow through her. Somehow he always seemed to be able to make all her worries disappear, even if just for a few minutes.

Giving herself up to the music and Ratchet's leading steps, Cameron fell into the smooth movement. Soon enough she was aware of the Lennox's as well as Sam's parents dancing alongside them.

Cameron tipped her head back to look into his face.

"How are you able to do this? Isn't a hologram just light?"

"You question this now and not when I'm kissing you?" He ducked his head next to hers.

Cameron shrugged in his arms. "I don't think when you're kissing me." She felt hot breath against her ear and shivered. "Answer the question."

"Yes, a hologram or holoform is basically light. But since I have superior upgrades I am able to produce a hard-light holoform, which enables me to interact with my surroundings."

"Aww, my high-tech hero." She simpered teasingly.

She rested her head on his chest as their steps narrowed into a slow turning circle.

"I love you." Cameron whispered.

He looked down at her with so much tenderness that Cameron was sure she would die if he ever left her. His arm tightened around her waist and his hand pressed hers against his chest.

"I love you too. Never forget that."

Cameron smiled and kissed him softly.

* * *

Excitement bubbled in Alana's chest as she climbed out of the car. She was going to see her Cameron again. Her baby girl had been living all this time with giant robots. She must have felt so alone. Tears welled in her Alana's eyes as she thought of Cameron being all by herself with no one to comfort her.

Jon caught her elbow before she could race towards the hangars. Music and lights told her which one she'd find her daughter in.

"Alana, Mitch. Remember what I told you about them and please Mitch, behave yourself."

"Sure Dad." Their son replied, his eyes shining as he stared at the busy hangar.

A man appeared in the lit doorway.

"Oh good, Will's here." Jon waved to the man and propelled them forward. As they got closer, Alana recognized Will Lennox.

"Jon, Alana, you're here. Cameron's been waiting for you. Optimus was considering sending one of the Autobots out to look for you."

Alana cut in before Jonathan could reply. "Where is she?"

Will smiled. "She's inside."

Brushing off her husband's hand, Alana stormed through the door. She stopped just inside, searching for her daughter. Overall there weren't many people there, a couple men in suits and a handful of others in more casual clothing. When she couldn't find Cameron she turned to Jon.

"Where is she?"

He scanned the room before pointing towards the middle, at a group of people dancing.

"Cameron!"

The group turned as one but Alana only had eyes for her daughter. A silver haired Cameron stepped forward.

"Mum?"

Alana ran forward to meet Cameron halfway. She stopped long enough to grab Cameron's shoulders and study her face. The only difference in her appearance that Alana could pick out was the silver tone. Wrapping her arms around Cameron, mother and daughter hugged in the middle of the floor.

"Oh honey, I've missed you so much. Why on earth didn't you tell me what was going on? I can't say that I was happy when your father told me that you hadn't actually gone to New York."

Cameron grinned sheepishly. "I'm sorry Mum, I wasn't allowed to say anything to anyone. I'm just lucky that the Autobots are treating me well."

"Are they? I mean they're robots and they don't really know how to look after you like a mother does. They haven't tried to feed you oil or scrap metal or something like that have they?"

"Madam, if I didn't know you were uninformed of the situation, I would be highly offended at the suggestion that I do not take proper care of my patients."

Alana gasped and spun towards the voice that had come from nowhere. She stared for a moment at the strange sight. It was obviously one of the robots her husband had told her about. It was green, black and red with a bull-bar over its chest. The only difference Alana could see with this robot and the ones Jon had spoken about was that this one stood at least a foot taller than her but it could hardly be called giant.

Cameron stepped away from her and towards the robots. "Mum, this is Ratchet; he's the Chief Medical Officer for the Autobots. He's in charge of looking after me."

Alana smiled. "It's nice to meet you. I have to say I've never met an alien robot before; I wasn't quite sure what to expect. You're a lot smaller than I was told though."

She watched curiously as Cameron started laughing and the robot scowled at her.

"Do you find something funny Cameron?"

"I'm sorry sweetheart. It's just that Mum thinks you're really little when you're not." She sniggered again.

Alana looked on bewildered as the robot gave Cameron another glare, it lasted several seconds before melting into a smile, then it jumped and glared again.

"I'll get you back later." It growled.

"I'll hold you to that." She winked.

The robot made a humming sound, like an engine revving, before looking back to Alana.

"My apologies Mrs. Oakham. Cameron's behavior seems to have degenerated since she's been here. If you'll excuse me, I'll be back as soon as I can."

It then turned on its heel and walked away. Alana looked back at Cameron to find her watching the robot walk away.

"It was needed elsewhere?"

Cameron nodded. "Yeah, but don't worry, he'll be back. He can't stay away long."

Did Cameron just say _he_? Had she been saying _he_ the entire time? Apparently robots had genders as well. Alana didn't say anything as her daughter kept talking.

"He's just lucky Optimus call him away." Cameron grinned.

Someone had called it? Him? Who was Optimus? The questions buzzed around Alana's head but no answers were forthcoming. Instead of sating her curiosity, she said. "He seems very polite."

Cameron nodded. "Oh, he is. He's always telling me I'm an idiot in the nicest way possible."

Alana smiled at her daughter's attitude. If Cameron was joking about someone, or in this case something, then she was comfortable being around them. "So, are the other robots bigger than the one I just met?"

Cameron smiled again. "Ratchet's not really that small, it was a hologram, but yes, the others are much bigger than that."

"Hologram?"

"Uh huh. He used it to avoid scaring you with his size."

"Oh my God! That's so cool." Mitch's excited yell caught both Cameron's and Alana's attention.

* * *

Cameron smiled as her mother turned to face her brother. Her mother had behaved completely naturally. No hysterics or crying, Cameron was proud. Not even the sight of her silver face had perturbed Alana. She turned to see what her brother was so excited about.  
In the doorway stood Optimus Prime, Ironhide and Ratchet. The Autobot leader was infront looking, as always, commanding and powerful. Jazz stood up in his corner, making Mitch almost fall over himself in an excited frenzy.

_#Can we come out yet?#_ Bumblebee asked.

_#Why ask, you already have.#_ She grinned at them. _#Something wrong Optimus?#_

_#Time is short and we did not wish to waste anymore.#_

_#You got bored and came out.#_ Cameron deducted.

The glint in his optics told her she was right. Turning to her family, she saw her brother clutched in her mother's arms. Alana's face showed borderline terror while Mitch wore a massive smile.

"Mum, I want you to meet Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, Ironhide, on the right, and you've already met Ratchet."

"They're a lot bigger than I expected." Alana whispered.

"Over there is Jazz and Bumblebee."

Mitch, now free of their mother, bounced on his toes next to her. "This is so much better than any of my games."

#_That's high praise coming from him.# _She informed the Autobots.

"Can they do anything?"

Cameron grinned. "Do you remember that car I had when I moved back a few months ago?"

"Yeah."

"That's him." She pointed to Jazz.

Mitch hopped forward a few steps. "Could you show me, please?"

Jazz moved forward with a grin and transformed. Mitch cried out in astonishment. Cameron laughed and turned as Optimus spoke.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Alana and Mitch Oakham."

Alana nodded and murmured a reply. Mitch stared into the large face without saying anything.

Jonathan appeared next to them. "Hello Optimus Prime."

"Good evening Captain Oakham."

"If you'll excuse us for a moment I would like to introduce Alana to Secretary Keller and Sergeant Epps."

They walked away and Cameron moved back towards the Autobots. "I think that went well." She said as their holoforms shimmered into existence around her, Mitch gasped.

"Your parental unit seems to consider us unwelcome." Ironhide replied.

"Why do you say that?"

"She is not exchanging information with us."

"She's overwhelmed, give her time."

"How much time will she have to accept all of this before we're beyond her reach?" Bumblebee looked down at her.

Jazz wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulders. "If she's anythin' like Cameron, she'll be adaptable."

Cameron smiled at the holograms but a heavy sadness settled in her heart. What if her mother didn't get used to having a metallic daughter? What if she said she wanted nothing to do with any of it? What if…?

A warmth touched her heart as Ratchet lent her his strength. "She will accept you, she is your mother. It is documented that human mothers are consistently accepting of their children's choices."

Ratchet wrapped an arm around her and rested his hand on her waist. Cameron relaxed into the protection of his body.

"I'm still worried. I want Mum, and Mitch, to be, maybe not happy but not sad when we go."

A tugging on her sleeve made Cameron look down. Mitch had a handful of her jacket.

"Don't worry Cam, I'll work on her."

She hugged him closely. "The only problem is, there's more than just me going into space for her to accept."

"Like what?"

Cameron hesitated. "My…boyfriend."

_#I believe we established that I am more than a mere _boyfriend.# Ratchet grumbled.

_#I know, but it's a term he'll understand.#_

"You have a boyfriend? Looking like that?"

She punched him lightly. "Yes, I do, and he loves the way I look."

"Got a thing for metal does he?" Mitch teased.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Ratchet replied and pulled Cameron against him.

Mitch's eyes widened. "But you're one of the robots."

"Yes I am. Is that a problem?"

Mitch shook his head quickly.

"Ratchet, be nice. He's my little brother."

Mitch looked up at her. "I'm going to look forward to seeing Mum's face when you tell her about this."

Cameron transferred her gaze over to where her parents were talking with the other adults. She wasn't looking forward to telling her mother but she had to do it. No secrets.

"Hey guys, what's with the not-so-happy faces?" Sam asked as he came over with Mikaela.

"Cameron's trying to decide on the best way to tell our Mum that she's dating the robot." Mitch replied.

Sam's eyes widened and a sympathetic look crossed Mikaela's face. "If it's anything like my Mom's face when I told her I was dating Sam…" She patted Cameron's shoulder. "Don't worry, it won't be that bad."

* * *

Barricade watched the festivities from the command centre. The converted military facility was hardly what Barricade would call adequate, but humans were primitive creatures and couldn't be faulted for their low place in evolution. He longed to once more be on Cybertron, memories of the sterling cities had begun to fade.

He watched avidly as the Allspark greeted a female human. The close bond between them was obvious, as was the admiration on the human sparklings face. It had been a long time since he'd seen an expression like that, especially in the Decepticon army.

Turning away from the monitor, Barricade faced the others. Frenzy sat nearby with Slider in his lap, their heads tilted towards each other. Scorponok was curled up in the corner, he was wrapped around an energon cube. The newer plates of armor could still be made out amongst the old.

They had all decided to stay out of the function tonight for various reasons. His own were obvious, he was a Decepticon and didn't feel the urge to socialize with Autobots and fleshbags. Frenzy no doubt stayed because had chosen to and Scorponok preferred not to show up when he was responsible for attacking some of the humans present. Barricade wasn't sure of Slider's motives but they probably had something to do with Frenzy.

He watched the couple a few moments longer. He and Frenzy had discussed their options concerning the femme, Barricade's advice had been to enjoy her then ditch her, the plan would have been perfect if Frenzy hadn't already bonded himself to the little Autobot.

All Barricade's plans for when they got back to Cybertron were in tatters. Soundwave wouldn't be eager to take on a mech with a bonded Autobot following behind, and Shockwave would probably just shoot them on sight. Plus, any chance of him being welcomed back was extremely reduced now that Thundercracker and Skywarp could testify that he was a traitor. The only other option was to become an Autobot and the very thought of that made his tanks rebel. He'd rather be a neutral than face Prowl again.

A hurried beeping coming from a console nearby broke into his thoughts. Slider was there tapping away before Barricade turned around. The monitor showed increasing levels of Cybertronian energy activity. Frowning slightly, he faced the security cameras. The Autobots and their holoforms were all gathered together around the Allspark but that wouldn't explain the readings, the only other Cybertronians were the captive Decepticons. He swung his gaze to their screen. Bright red optics glowed in their dark cell.

"Oh no." Slider groaned. "Talk about bad timing."

Barricade glared in confusion as the little femme leapt from the desk and out the door.

"The humans." Frenzy answered his unasked question. "They're s-separated from the human's by only a sh-sheet of metal."

Scorponok jumped to his feet and scurried after Slider.

"Where's he going?"

"To p-protect the Allspark. She's tak-ken Blackout's place in his life." The silver face tipped up to him. "'Cade, we h-have to h-help."

As much as Barricade wanted to deny it, Frenzy was right, they had to help. The humans would make trouble if Thundercracker and Skywarp broke out now and possibly killed someone before they could be stopped.

He sighed. "Looks like it's time we joined the Autobots."

* * *

Cameron knew something was wrong as soon as Slider appeared on her shoulder. Her creation had been taking advantage of some quiet time with Frenzy and wouldn't give that up unless it was for something important.

"What's up?"

"Decepticons."

The eyes of anyone within hearing distance widened. Cameron's immediately went to the partition that separated the Decepticon jets from everyone else. She could feel the malevolent energy radiating from them. Why hadn't she noticed it before?

"Jazz, Bumblebee, get everyone out of here." Prime ordered quickly.

The pair nodded and their holoforms disappeared. Their robotic forms thrummed as they took control again. There was a great deal of confusion as the two mechs tried to usher all the humans outside.

"Slider go with them, do what you can to keep everyone calm." Cameron ordered. The small femme nodded and took off after Bumblebee and Jazz.

"Holy Christ!" Came a scream from one of the men. "I thought we'd already put that one down."

Cameron turned her head quickly to see Scorponok race across the hangar and crouch over her, his barbed tail arched. All around her the Autobots were forming a protective ring. Optimus and Ironhide were directly infront of her with Ratchet to her left.

"Ratchet, why are they coming online? I thought you had put them in stasis." Optimus asked as they heard the shriek of metal being torn.

"I did. They must have fail-safe's encoded in their systems. Perhaps something that would wake them from an unplanned stasis after they hit Earth."

"You didn't check?" Ironhide grumbled.

Ratchet glared at him. "They're Decepticons, I wouldn't expect extensive planning from them."

The group tensed further as the metal wall shuddered under a blow.

"Optimus, what's the plan?" Ironhide asked, his cannons humming to life.

"We'll have to fight; we also have to protect the humans. We have to keep the Decepticons contained; if they get loose they could do irreparable damage to everything we've worked for." His battle-mask snapped into place.

"I could take them down like I did before." Cameron suggested.

"No." Ratchet shifted more infront of her. "Stay out of it, don't get hurt."

Scorponok chattered in agreement above her head.

"But Ratchet, it would be stupid not to take advantage of my power."

"Ratchet's right. We can't risk them getting near, and possibly capturing you." Optimus said.

"That won't happen." Cameron denied.

"You've been caught three times already." Ironhide replied.

"Only twice, the third was intentional."

"This is not the time to be squabbling." Jazz appeared on her right. "Bumblebee's keeping an optic on the humans." He looked down. "Should Cameron be out there as well?"

"Yes." Ratchet replied at the same time as Cameron said. "No."

Their gazes locked. "I can help, I did last time."

Ratchet sighed. "Let us take them down and then you can take their strength again."

Cameron frowned uncertainly.

The petition crashed down and they were suddenly facing two very angry Decepticons.

"So, Barricade was working with the Autobots after all." Thundercracker sneered.

"They're doing better than Megatron at the moment."

They turned to see Barricade standing in the doorway. The jets growled at him. "Traitor."

Barricade lunged forward, tackling Thundercracker to the ground. Skywarp jumped back and aimed at the Autobots. A series of explosions rocked the hangar. Screams came from outside and smoke spread through the air. Ironhide let out a barrage of missiles at the purple seeker. The Decepticon cursed as he dodged each one.

Scorponok crouched down, causing Cameron to drop to the ground to avoid being hit by the lowering body. From her position on the floor Cameron had a good view of Barricade muttering as he plowed his fists into the seeker's softer face plates.

"'Cracker!"

A shot from Skywarp caught Barricade on the side of his head. He fell to the side in a heap.

"Barricade!" Cameron screamed as pink liquid started to spread across the floor.

Looking around for help Cameron saw that the Autobots were busy trying to contain the seekers. Both were trying to get into the air.

Desperate to do something, she crawled out from under Scorponok and ran towards the felled mech. Behind her the Companion squawked as he realised she was no longer there.

Jazz flew through the air, slamming into the wall and leaving a sizable dent. Cameron's eyes widened as the scene turned chaotic. Jazz was down for the count, Optimus and Ratchet struggled to keep Thundercracker on the ground, Ironhide was trading shots with Skywarp and Barricade was bleeding all over the floor.

A piece of concrete exploded near her feet as she continued to run. Scorponok did his best to shield her with his body but his attention was split between her and the action around them. Once they reached Barricade's side she called to him over the noise.

"Scorpy! Go and help the others."

The broad head shook and he crowded closer to her.

"They need your. I'll be fine, I promise."

He seemed to waver, wanting to do what she asked but at the same time wanting to protect her.

"I'll stay here, okay?"

Finally Scorponok accepted her terms and dove into the fight.

Cameron crouched by Barricade's shoulder, his optics were dark and the neon pool was growing. Fear for his life burned through her. Head wounds on humans, even minor ones, bled profusely. Was it the same for transformers?

Unsure of the answer Cameron erred on the side of caution. She moved closer to the wound and inspected it. The shot had only made a shallow groove in Barricade's head, it was fairly clean but energon poured steadily out of it. The severed ends of small pipes could be seen under the liquid.

"B-barricade!"

The stuttered shout came from Frenzy as he scurried to his Partner's side. The small silver body deftly avoided the pool of energon and stood on the other side of Barricade's head.

"Get up you Pit-spawned g-glitch, we have work to d-do."

"Frenzy!" Cameron stared, horrified that he would talk to his injured and unconscious friend that way.

Frenzy looked up at her. "It usually works w-when he's rech-charging."

She frowned in concern. "He isn't recharging."

Frenzy shrugged. "It w-was worth a t-try. Will he be a-all right?"

"I don't know yet." She shrugged. "Are you going back to the fight or outside?"

"W-why would I go outs-side? I'm not-t a coward."

Concrete exploded next to them and rained down in particles around their heads. Cameron leaned over the hole in Barricade's head to stop anything from falling in.

"Go! Stop them before they kill us." She shouted at Frenzy. He nodded jerkily and ran off to join the fray.

Turning her attention to Barricade, Cameron tried to figure out where to start.

_Where the energon is pouring out, dumbass_. Her mind chastised.

She inspected the hole again. It should be a fairly straight forward healing. Scorponok's tail and Bumblebee vocaliser had been more intricate.

A grimace crossed her face as she reached towards the wound. The energon flowed through her fingers in the most unsettling fashion. Pushing the Allspark's power into her hands Cameron focused on closing the exposed pipes. The neon liquid slowed down its leaking as the severed parts closed over. When it stopped completely she paid more attention to restoring Barricade's outer plating and returning some of the energy he'd lost.

She stood back as his optics came online. "Barricade? How are you feeling?"

Without moving he looked around. Cameron's heart squeezed at the confused expression on his face.

He focused on her. "I'm still alive?"

Cameron nodded. "Yep. I'm a miracle worker. Can you get up?"

She didn't like pushing Barricade like this but the Decepticon seekers were causing more trouble than she expected.

Barricade lurched into a sitting position. "I'll be fine in a moment, just need to get my thoughts." He looked down at her. "Why did you help me?"

Cameron frowned. "Why wouldn't I?"

He stared at her for a moment before opening his mouth to speak.

"When I put you down, you're meant to stay down." A shadow fell over them.

Cameron looked up to see Skywarp standing over them. The ugly look on the jet's face, couple with the violence radiating from his spark, sent terror curling through her. Forgetting utterly that she could reduce the mighty seeker to a quivering mess of bolts, Cameron screamed as Skywarp swung a kick at Barricade. His foot clipped Barricade's shoulder and arm but caught Cameron full in the chest.

Her eyes widened as the thick foot propelled her off the ground and into the air. Pain spread across her middle in reaction to Skywarp's kick.

As she sailed through the air, Cameron got a good view of the fight. Optimus and Ratchet had Thundercracker on the ground and were in the process of disarming him; and Skywarp had just been levelled by a shot from one of Ironhide's cannons.

She sent a distressed pulse from her spark in a desperate attempt that someone would save her from going splat on the floor. It was too late, by the time Ratchet got a chance to look for her, she was already falling. The look of horrified terror on his face told Cameron exactly what she didn't want to know. This was going to hurt. A lot.

Bracing herself for impact, Cameron had all of two seconds before she slammed into the thick, strong metal of the hangar wall. The blow pushed all the air out of Cameron's body and dimmed her vision as pain washed over her. The world seemed to slow as she slid down the wall to collapse on the ground. A dizzy corner of her brain told her that she should have at least left a human-shaped dent in the metal.

She blacked out.

* * *

Mitch stared at the slumped figure on the ground. He'd been watching the fight covertly for a couple of minutes (his parents thought he was hiding in the car) and it had been the most awesome and terrifying thing he'd ever seen. That is, it had been until a purple and black robot had kicked Cameron clear across the shed. Then it had just been terrifying.

Now he was watching her and praying that she would get up. She didn't.

Mitch threw a look over at the group of people gathered near the cars. The yellow robot stood over them but was suddenly distracted and staring at the hangar. He must know about Cameron too, because most of the robots inside had frozen when she had been flying as well.

Plucking up his courage, Mitch made his move while no one was watching. He dashed into the hangar and hugged the wall until he was next to Cameron. She lay on her side, facing the robots, silver hair spread out like a fan around her head. A broken fan.

The part that had Mitch the most worried was that he couldn't see her chest moving, she wasn't breathing. Grabbing her shoulders Mitch shook her, hoping to bring some life back into her.

"Cameron! Cameron wake up. Get up!"

Her head lolled on her neck but she didn't open her eyes.

"Move it-t fleshie."

Mitch's eyes widened as a silver robot as tall as himself appeared next to him. Unsure of what to do Mitch shifted a little, allowing the robot to move closer. He couldn't remember seeing this one with the others that Cameron had introduced them to but maybe this was the small one his father had been talking about.

"Are you Slider?" He asked hesitantly.

The robot let out a peel of broken laughter. "Not a ch-chance, she's outside with the other f-fleshbags."

"Then who are you, and what are you doing to my sister?" Mitch asked as he noticed the robot running its hands over Cameron's face and chest.

"I'm t-trying to locate her sp-spark. It's the only way of b-bringing her back online."

Mitch averted his gaze, he didn't want to watch the robot groping Cameron.

"Why isn't it in the r-right place?" It muttered seemingly to itself. "…There it is."

The sound of shifting gears and metal drew Mitch's gaze back in time to see the silver robot stab something into Cameron's chest.

He grabbed one of the thin arms. "What are you doing?"

"Hacking into her s-system. D-doctor's orders."

Mitch was about to protest again when Cameron's eyes snapped open and her mouth opened on a soundless scream. The robot pulled his transformed arm out of her chest. Mitch noticed then that her eyes weren't right. There was no pupil or white, just a pair of bright blue orbs in her face.

"What happened?" Her voice sounded the same but he could detect something under it.

"Skywarp k-kicked you. Scorponok and Barric-cade are avenging you and the Autob-bots have taken down Thundercrack-ker."

Cameron nodded and stood. Mitch stepped back as his sister started to glow. It started with her body and moved steadily out to her extremities. She didn't look back at him as she stepped forward. She didn't even seem to notice Mitch at all. Her head turned slightly to face the silver robot.

"I'm sick of these guys. Quick or slow?"

"Q-quick. The humans are getting-ing nervous."

A slow smile curved on her lips and she move closer to the still fighting mechs.

* * *

Ratchet felt the surge of power that was unique to Cameron. His processor threatened to shut down in relief. The looks on Prime's and Ironhide's faces told him that they could see her and she was all right.

The image of her flying through the air was one of the most frightening thing's he'd ever seen, right up there with standing in the middle of Simfur as the Decepticons destroyed it and catching Prowl and Jazz in one of Iacon's storage rooms.

He twisted his grip on Thundercracker, keeping his body firmly pressed against the ground. The Decepticon thrashed under their hands but was unable to free himself.

Ratchet felt Cameron getting closer, the tendrils of her power snaked around them, curling through their systems. He only noticed something was wrong when he tried to move but couldn't. A glance at Optimus proved that it wasn't a solitary occurrence. On the periphery of his vision a blue-glowing figure appeared. Cameron was moving slowly but steadily past them. She stopped in the very middle of all the fighting mechs. Her face was averted from him but Ratchet got the impression that she was scowling. The words that came out of her mouth were not in English, they were Cybertronian.

"I'm so very disappointed in you all. We've worked so hard to make sure everything went well, to make sure we could get off this planet."

She walked up to Thundercracker and tapped on the top of his helmet. The Decepticon's optics flickered each time she touched him.

"And then you decide to start a brawl in the middle of my party. I would have thought you were all smarter than that. Sabotaging my plans is something I might have expected from Starscream."

Cameron wandered over to Barricade and Skywarp. She didn't touch either of them but Ratchet could see the uncertainly in Barricade's optics.

"Now listen to me carefully because I'll only say this once. Do anything else that could potentially ruin our chances of leaving and I will deactivate you. That means everyone…I'm going to release you now and I want you all to stop fighting and just stand quietly."

The threads of energy slowly left Ratchet's body, leaving him feeling shaky. He straightened carefully, one hand remaining on Thundercracker's shoulder until he couldn't touch it anymore. Next to him Optimus Prime stood calmly, battle mask in place, his optics never betraying his emotions. Ironhide growled softly as he released his hold on the thick neck. The Decepticon at their feet snarled but didn't seem inclined to risk being deactivated by the angry Allspark.

On her other side, Barricade stepped back and Scorponok cowered on the floor. Skywarp was quick to his feet but watched the glowing human warily.

_They both realise that she's serious. _Ratchet's thoughts raced as he tried to figure out what she'd do next. Needless to say, Cameron didn't always do what you expected her to. Wanting to be closer to her in case the Decepticons decided to do something stupid Ratchet found that his feet wouldn't move, again.

"Look at how easy it is to stand next to each other and not be fighting. It certainly makes me feel better."

The sight of the organic-shaped Allspark speaking a mostly electronic language was strange indeed.

"While we're all playing nice I want to make a deal with my two seekers. Behave for the next few earth weeks and help us leave this planet and I will allow you your freedom once we reach Cybertron."

The Autobots stared at Cameron incredulously even as the Decepticons nodded after a moment of silent conversation.

"If you betray my trust I will punish you. I hope that by now you can tell that I have all of the Allspark's power under my control and I do exactly as I promise."

Again the seekers nodded.

"Good. You have two choices now. Get along with the Autobots or go back into stasis until we need you."

The Decepticons looked at each other and the air was filled with the soft hum of communication.

"Stasis." Thundercracker replied finally.

"Fine." Cameron held a hand out to each mech and they eased to the floor before their optics faded completely.

The radiating glow around Cameron eased and Ratchet found that he could move again. Immediately he was kneeling next to his bonded as she leaned against a stack of boxes, weariness evident on her face. He gathered her close and relaxed only when she returned his embrace. A comforting wave rolled over him through their bond and Ratchet had to stop from laughing. She was trying to make him feel better after she'd just expended all that energy. She was amazing and never ceased to surprise him.

"I wouldn't have deactivated you." Cameron whispered.

He smiled. "I know."

"Everyone else maybe, but not you."

She snuggled against the underside of his jaw and released a long sigh. Ratchet looked up to see Bumblebee walking back through the doors with the humans.

Alana walked straight up to them, darting a curious yet scared glance at the Decepticons. "Cameron Abigail Oakham. Get down here and explain what exactly just happened."

Pulling her away from him Ratchet saw that Cameron was smiling tiredly. "Madam, I have to ask that this evening be ended soon." He said as he placed Cameron on the ground. "Cameron is weary."

Immediately Scorponok was hovering nearby. Cameron stumbled for a moment but gained her balance before Alana reached her. "Darling, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. We were just having a discussion."

"I will want to run some tests later." Ratchet said to her back.

The concerned frown melted off Alana's face as she held Cameron close, running a hand over her hair in a soothing manner. The gesture was so natural between creator and progeny that Ratchet felt sad. Cameron would have to leave all this behind forever.

"It's all right Ratch. I'll call it a night soon, but if I fall asleep out here can you be sure to take me to bed?"

Ratchet subdued his chuckle and nodded. He turned away, intending to help Optimus and Ironhide move the jets back to their corner. As he moved away he heard Cameron say. "Mum, there's more that I have to tell you."

A muffled snicker near his foot caused Ratchet to look down. Cameron's younger sibling was standing next to a wall, watching the two women walking away.

"You find something entertaining?"

"Duh. Cam's about to tell Mum everything. I can't wait for the show." The child rushed away and Ratchet had the pre-emptory feeling that he should prepare to hide from her mother.

* * *

**Please review and let me know what you thought.**

**TammyCat**


	39. Chapter 39

**Arrgh! I'm so sorry! I hadn't meant for it to take this long to update but since the end is near my brain stopped working. I've had this part done for a while. It was meant to be one big chapter but since I'm not sure when the ideas will start flowing again I thought I'd give you this. The following updates will probably be short if I can't get my muse into gear. ****Again I am sorry for taking sooo long.**

**Thank you to StarSwoop, Miss Hiss, ArmoredSoul and Inufreak831 for reviewing. I hope I can still keep you interested despite my inability to keep deadlines.**

**StarSwoop, thank you so much, you give me so many ideas :)**

**I do not own Transformers or Lego**

* * *

Cameron curled further into her pillow. Cool air drifted over her neck as she tried to hide from it. She tried to recall the dream that flittered on the edge of her mind. It had been one of those strange ones where nothing made sense. She was pretty sure there had been a zebra in there somewhere, and some Lego.

A sound penetrated her sleep haze. Someone was calling her name. She opened her eyes slowly, unwilling to give up the comfortable warmth of sleep. A body stirred behind her and hot breath whispered across her neck as a strong arm curled around her waist.

The room was blurry as she tried to force some awareness into her brain. A familiar face swum in her vision and something about that face told Cameron she shouldn't still be in bed.

"Morning Mum." She yawned and snuggled back against Ratchet. "What are you doing here?'

"Your father dropped us off so we could spend some time with you before you leave. But it looks like we've come at the wrong time." Alana eyed the man in the bed meaningfully.

"No, no, give me a sec." Cameron angled her elbow back and nudged Ratchet in the stomach. He grunted and buried his head in the curve of her neck. She prodded him again and got a series of light kisses across her spine as a reward. She laughed and elbowed him for a third time.

"What?" He groaned. "You're being unusually pushy this morning."

Cameron moved so she could look over at him. "My mother's here."

Electric blue eyes flashed open as he lifted his head. He looked adorable with bed hair and sleepy eyes. He looked up at Alana, smiled politely, and vanished

Cameron had to stifle her giggle. "Coward!" She called after him. He sent back an affirmative reply.

Cameron sat up, covers falling to her waist. "He's scared of you."

Alana's eyebrow rose. "So he should be. I'm not sure if I approve of him."

_Not this again._ She groaned mentally.

"He's too old for you."

Cameron stared at her mother for a moment. "Too old?"

Alana nodded. "Has he told you how old he actually is?"

"The specific number? No. but I have a fair idea. He's older than the human race."

Alana's jaw dropped, then snapped shut moments later. "Now I know he's not appropriate. I didn't say much about Michael but this age gap is just too much."

Cameron grinned. "Michael was only two years older than me, and I was fourteen. Plus, I'm in love with Ratchet, I think it's a very different situation."

Alana's eyebrow rose again. "You weren't sleeping with Michael." She said in agreement.

If Cameron still had the ability to blush she would have. "Like I said, a different situation."

"I guess I really can't complain, it's not as though he's going to get you pregnant and leave."

"Mum!" Cameron sputtered but her mother just continued.

"That aside, I want to see you happy and safe. If the robot makes you happy then that's all I can ask."

"Thank you, Mum." Cameron replied, touched by her mother's words.

Alana smiled and stepped back. "Now get dressed. I have some more things I want to talk to you about and I need to make sure Mitch hasn't broken anything, like one of the other robots."

She laughed. "Don't worry, the Autobots are resistant to most humans."

Alana smiled. "Come on, get up." She turned and left the room.

Cameron rummaged through her drawers, searching for something to throw on.

"Is she gone?" Ratchet's head appeared around the door.

Cameron grinned. "Yes. I never thought I'd see you, the Hatchet, run from a human."

"She's more intimidating than you think, and where did you hear that name?"

"Jazz told me that was what they called you on Cybertron."

Ratchet scowled. "I'll have to deal with him later."

Cameron linked her fingers behind his neck and trailed a series of kisses across his cheek. "Leave Jazz alone, he's a good boy. You're just an idiot."

"I can be a good boy." He murmured against her neck.

Cameron laughed throatily. "Be a good boy today and I'll show you my appreciation tonight."

Ratchet rumbled lowly and kissed her hotly.

_#You have to spend time with my mother.#_

Ratchet pulled back and pouted.

"No getting out of it. I'm going to have to spend the rest of eternity with your friends. The least you can do is spend two hours with my family."

He sighed. "If I have to."

"You are such a child." She laughed and led him out of the room.

* * *

They found Mitch running around Jazz's feet with Scorponok watching avidly. Her mother was no where in sight.

"Good morning guys."

All three looked up as she and Ratchet entered. Scorponok abandoned his post to push Ratchet away and snuggled against Cameron's stomach. Mitch looked as though he had planned to race over but stopped himself when the giant scorpion beat him to it. Cameron hugged the brown head to her chest. She was pleased to see him back to his old habits.

"Cameron, come sit down." Alana called from near the kitchen.

Cameron released Scorpy, he rejoined Jazz in what looked like a game of tag. She smiled before collecting Ratchet and joining her mother at the table. Ratchet continued past her into the kitchen. Mitch bounced into the chair nest to their mother.

"Hey Cam."

"Hey squirt. You harassing Jazz?"

"Only a little." He grinned mischievously.

"Mitch, behave." Alana scolded lightly.

The young boy grinned unrepentantly. "I'm only having some fun."

Ratchet appeared next to Cameron, he passed her an energon cube.

"Thanks, love." Cameron said as she took it. He smiled and sat next to her.

Alana lowered her gaze to the table but couldn't hide the warm smile on her lips.

Suddenly Ratchet's head snapped around, his bright eyes stared at the inside doorway. His holoform shimmered for a moment before solidifying again.

"I'm being summoned." He said sourly and kissed her softly. Then he winked and disappeared.

Cameron sighed. "So much for spending time with my family." She muttered to herself.

"Is something wrong?" Alana asked.

"No. One of the Autobots needed him, Ironhide I think." Cameron shrugged. "Just one of the perks of being bonded to a medic."

"What does bonded mean?" Mitch asked, his attention momentarily taken away from Jazz and Scorponok.

"It's kind of similar to being married."

His lips twitched. "You married a robot? I always knew you were weird but this is Twilight Zone weird."

Cameron poked her tongue out at him. "Go play with Jazz."

"Okay." He jumped off his chair and ran out the doors in search of the sports car. Cameron quickly radioed the pair and warned them of the incoming child.

"Will he be safe playing with the giant scorpion?"

"Oh yeah." Cameron nodded. "Scorpy will take good care of him. I owe him my life. He saved me from Starscream several times, back before I could properly control my power."

Alana's eyes closed for a moment before staring into her eyes and saying seriously. "This is what I came for. I want to know everything that has happened to you."

"Everything?"

Her mother nodded. "From when you first disappeared from home to now. When did it all start?"

"Okay. Well, the story actually starts long before I ever met the Autobots." Cameron proceeded to tell her mother about what really happened, beginning with the car accident. As the tale progressed Cameron showed off some of the changes to her body, first the two tattoos on the back of her neck then moving on through to her silver skin and now the strange markings that graced her arms and legs.

Throughout the story Alana didn't speak, she nodded when appropriate and gasped slightly when Cameron detailed what had happened to her as Starscream's captive. She listened quietly as Cameron continued on, explaining how she revived Jazz and about her developing feelings for Ratchet and the void that had sprung between them. Cameron skipped through the Seekers landing and her involvement with Sector 7.

When she finally finished, Cameron noticed tears in her mother's eyes.

"Oh, sweetheart, you've been through so much. I wish I'd been there for you."

Cameron felt a prickle along the backs of her eyes.

"And soon you'll be gone forever." The tears that clung to Alana's lashes finally spilled over and streamed down her cheeks.

The urge to cry with her mother was there but the ability wasn't. Instead Cameron got up and circled the table. Hugging her mother tightly, Cameron grieved with her over their lost time.

Alana roused herself and wiped the tears from her face. "Look at me, going on when we have so much to do and celebrate."

Cameron frowned as she sat back down. "What are we celebrating?"

"Well, I had hoped that you would agree to get married before you left."

"Get married?" She repeated dazedly.

Her mother nodded enthusiastically. "I never thought I'd see you get married." Moisture gathered again. "First because of your cancer and now because you're going away. When your father told me I was concerned that you wouldn't find anyone amongst the robots, but now you've got Ratchet and he seems completely committed to you."

Cameron nodded. "He is."

"Well then," Alana's hands clapped together. "I see no reason not to have a wedding." At Cameron's unsure expression she added. "For me, please?"

_#Cam, are you all right? You seem distressed.#_

_#Hah, not distressed, more like…I'm not sure, somewhere between amused, confused and intrigued.#_

_#I have a sinking feeling that I may not enjoy whatever you are discussing with your mother.#_

Cameron chuckled. _#You'll enjoy it if I tell you to.#_

A grumble was his only response and Cameron's smile faltered slightly. What if he didn't want to marry her? He might not like the idea of participating in a wedding.

Cameron looked into her mother's pleading eyes. "I'll talk to Ratchet about it."

Alana beamed. "I'm so happy. We have so much planning to do. Do you know when you're set to leave? I was thinking that we could have the ceremony a few days before, that way we're celebrating two things. It could be your going away party as well."

Cameron sat back in her chair and let her mother make plans, once Alana got going there was no stopping her. Cameron resigned herself to having the wedding she never expected to have, whether Ratchet liked it or not.

* * *

Ratchet stood tapping a wrench against his palm as a sense of foreboding pervaded his system. Perhaps leaving Cameron alone with her family hadn't been such a good idea. Yes, Ironhide had called him to help return his weapon's systems back to their original settings but it wasn't so urgent that he'd had to do it immediately. He could have let Ironhide spend a few hours, or even days, with inoperative weapons. In fact, he usually did.

What could they be talking about?

"Hey Ratch, could we get this done before I rust?"

Ratchet slammed the tool down on Ironhide's wrist. "Be quiet, it's your own fault."

"My plan was good in theory." Ironhide said defensively. "I just didn't expect the carbon-based fuel to react so badly when mixed with the energon enhancers."

Ratchet cut him off before he could further explain what went wrong. "You're plan was as badly put-together as Wheelie's speech centre, and now your constant fascination with mixing chemicals has put me at the mercy of two females. Only primus knows what they are planning."

"You could listen." Hide suggested.

The medic leveled a glare at him. "I'm not about to abuse the link between our sparks just so I can spy on their conversation."

Ironhide shrugged. "If you're careful she won't notice, Chromia never did. What do you think they're talking about?"

A variety of answers paraded through his processor but none of them could alleviate the warning sensations he had.

The lure of Ironhide's suggestion pulled at Ratchet as he went back to working on the black mech's weaponry. If he did spy on Cameron's conversation he might find out what had caused the strange tension in their bond. On the other hand, he might find out something that wasn't any of his business and he may very well regret listening in. Cameron had a look that could freeze the energon in his pipes.

"There, you're fixed. Now get out of my medbay and stop mixing fuels or I'll give your processor to Wheeljack to experiment on."

Ironhide grinned and clambered off the table. "I'll keep that in mind." Just before closing the door he said. "Tread lightly or you'll get caught."

"If I get caught you're going to be the one I blame." Ratchet's words didn't make any impact, the door was already closed.

Sinking deep within himself, Ratchet cautiously moved along the link between his spark and Cameron's. He could feel Cameron's reluctance over the top of a budding excitement.

His curiosity peaking, he followed the connection to Cameron's neural pathways until he found her audio receptors and hacked in. He backed off almost immediately as Cameron's consciousness prodded his. Drawing back fully into his own body Ratchet considered what he had heard, the words 'white dress' and 'flowers' didn't satiate his curiosity but he now knew that following Ironhide's advice was never a good idea.

_#Ratchet, did you need me?#_

He pushed away a dart of panic. _#No, sweet, not at the moment.#_

_#Damn.#_ She sighed. _#I was hoping you did.#_

_#Why is that?#_

_#Mum's on a roll and nothing short of an emergency will get be out of listening.#_

_#Then by all means, I require your help for a medical procedure. Hurry, lives are at stake!#_

Cameron laughed and disconnected their minds.

Ratchet stared at the wall opposite him. He knew now that it was useless to spy on the Allspark, she would know. The thought comforted him. If anyone else tried to do it she'd be able to protect herself. He fully expected that if it had been anyone other than himself they would have been punished for their impertinence.

Being bonded aside, Ratchet didn't think that Cameron would let him off with only a warning.

She appeared moments later, hurrying through the doors as if she were being chased.

"Everything all right?"

She looked up at him. "Mum started talking about lace and cake and I panicked."

A smile curved Ratchet's lips. "I assume that she did not mean for the lace to be on the cake. What was the topic that has you so flustered?"

Cameron looked up at him from beneath her lashes and the sense of foreboding he'd felt earlier returned.

"Babe, will you…marry me?"

Ratchet's processor seized. "What?"

"Will you marry me?" She rocked on her toes. "Please don't make me get down on one knee."

Uncertain as to why his processor's efficiency was suddenly down to half-percent, he asked. "Marry, as in the human bonding ceremony?"

Cameron nodded. "Yes. Would you like to marry me?"

"But we are already bonded. Another ritual would be superfluous."

Her shoulders dropped and her face took on an aggrieved expression. "Please marry me."

"I don't see the purpose of agreeing to this idea. Was it your mother's?"

"If you love me or if you ever want to get back to Cybertron, say you'll marry me."

Ratchet frowned at the overt desperation in her voice. "If it means so much to you, then of course. I would never deny you."

She sighed, her relief palpable. "Thank you. Now Mum will get off my back and stay happy."

His processor ticked over. "Your mother wants us to get married and you said yes?"

Cameron shrugged. "She looked so sad and the wedding will give her something to focus on instead of me leaving."

Ratchet suppressed his sigh. He would never understand her need to constantly placate her parental units.

"When exactly will this ritual take place?"

"Well the shuttle will be ready in two weeks, give or take a few days, so then."

Ratchet stared at her. "From what I understand, weddings are supposed to take months of preparations, and you're going to do it in two weeks?"

"Less than two weeks and no, Mum's doing it. We only have to nod at her suggestions."

That lingering sense of doom moved to encompass Ratchet's processor at the word 'we'. This was bound to turn out far worse that Cameron expected it to, he just hoped it wouldn't get recorded and spread across Cybertron.

"Must I be there for the decision making?"

"Of course. I'll need your help deciding on the seating plan and what tablecloths we're going to use and what flavor the cake is going to be."

"Among the multiple problems I see so far; one is that we don't eat so what is the point of having a cake?"

Cameron grinned. "I know, I think we can scrub the seating plan as well, but at least you'll be able to spend time with my mother."

"Fabulous." He replied dryly.

Cameron laughed and tugged on a cable. "Come on, the sooner we get this done the sooner you can get back to brooding."

"I don't brood." Ratchet denied as she led him out of the medbay.

* * *

**What did you think? Please review.**


	40. Chapter 40

**This one's a little jumpy but that's just to move it along.

* * *

**

Chapter 40

Optimus Prime looked on with bemusement as his Autobots flitted from one task to the next. Jazz and Ironhide were working with the humans in a last minute effort to further their technological advancements.

Bumblebee on the other hand was at the mercy of Cameron's mother, and at the moment was weighed down with garlands of flowers. Slider and Frenzy were also at the woman's beck and call.

Optimus noticed, with some amusement, that Cameron and Ratchet were missing from the days activities.

_#Ratchet, what's your location?#_

The medic's reply was heavy with boredom and male impatience_. #Whitney's Bridal Emporium.#_

_#When is your expected return?#_

_#Whenever Cameron finishes picking out a dress, and not even Primus knows when that will be.#_

Optimus chuckled and broke off communications. Compared to their earlier months, life during the last two weeks had been oddly quiet. The only disruption had been when one of the Decepticons had abruptly woken from stasis. He now sat with Barricade next to his still offline teammate.

Optimus fully believed that Cameron was behind Skywarp's awakening. The Decepticon seemed dazed and confused as he listened to Barricade. He was obviously the less violent of the two. Barricade had finally given up his Decepticon patches, he still refused to take up an Autobot mantle but it was only a matter of time.

A light tapping on his foot had Optimus looking down; Alana Oakham was standing next to him.

"Mr. Prime, would you be able to find out if the celebrant has been organized?"

"Of course Mrs. Oakham." _So she wasn't interested in letting Bumblebee perform the ceremony if he became a minister off the internet_. The woman smiled and thanked him and went back to positioning the archway.

Optimus moved towards the doorway to avoid getting in the way of Alana's wedding plans. The thought of Ratchet participating in this human bonding ceremony still made the Autobot leader smile. He had Jazz on standby with a data recorder.

His attention was diverted when a vehicle appeared on his radar. The military machine flew across the sandy road with a plume of dust trailing behind it. _Who could this be?_ The car got closer and Optimus could soon see the man in the passenger seat. Agent Simmons.

A frown formed between his brows as he tried to figure out why Simmons was visiting them. Optimus had numerous answers but none of them were satisfactory.

The man climbed out of the car and Optimus waited until he was closer before asking politely. "Agent Simmons, what brings you here?"

Optimus didn't trust the dark-haired man; he was far too manipulative and underhanded for Optimus' secure state of mind. He was too much like a Decepticon.

The human smiled his stilted smile. "I'm here on behalf of the United States Government and Sector Seven to thank you and the Autobots for your continued help with our research."

That must have hurt. Optimus' grin was kept carefully in check. "Your government is quite welcome. I understand that they will be sharing these advances with the rest of humanity."

Agent Simmons nodded. "That had been discussed and agreed upon."

Optimus noticed that the man's speech patterns indicated that he wasn't happy with the situation. Obviously he preferred his country to be superior to all the others, very much like a Decepticon.

"I'm glad. Peace can only be found through equality."

Simmons nodded but didn't seem to absorb his words.

"Is there another reason for your visit, Agent Simmons?"

"Defense Secretary Keller has asked me to check on the wedding preparations. He will be attending." Again the man's voice showed his disapproval of the situation.

"Everything is in order. I believe Mrs. Oakham has it all under control."

"Secretary Keller would also like me to remind you that the shuttle is ready for launch."

A shiver of excitement ran through his core. "I appreciate that, Agent Simmons. The ceremony has been scheduled for tomorrow. We shall be leaving on Thursday."

An amused expression ghosted across Simmons' face. "It has been an interesting experience, dealing with you aliens."

"Likewise, Agent Simmons. Your species has many aspects that will, no doubt, be incorporated into Cybertronian society."

* * *

Ratchet suppressed the urge to bang his head repeatedly against a wall. It wouldn't do his hologram any real damage but it might be an effective way to demonstrate how he was feeling.

He had been waiting for _two hours_ for Cameron to pick a dress. As far as he could tell, she was no closer to choosing now than she had been when they'd first entered the store.

Only it wasn't really a store. It was a warehouse masquerading as a store. He'd seen council rooms on Cybertron that were smaller.

He looked around for something to occupy him while Cameron tried on her 27th dress. Another man, with an equally desolate expression, stood nearby; leaning against the same wall Ratchet had considered bludgeoning his head on. The tired-looking human noticed him.

"Hey."

"Indeed."

"Your girl in there?" The male nodded towards the changing rooms.

"Yes."

"How long have you been here?"

Ratchet checked his chronometer. "Two hours, seventeen minutes, eleven seconds and counting."

The man laughed. "Yeah, I get that. I'm Pete." He held out his hand.

"Ray Chet." Ratchet replied falling back on the name Cameron had given him. He shook the human's hand.

"You know, they say that your wedding day is supposed to be the happiest day of your life. I think it's happy because you finally get to relax after all these months of insanity."

Ratchet stared at Pete. "You may have a valid point there."

He smiled. "So, are you from out of town? You sound like it."

"Yes, and we intend to return there after the ceremony."

"How far away is that?"

"Too far." Pete laughed again

"Sweetie, do you like this dress?" Cameron called out to him from behind the curtain.

Ratchet didn't move. "Yes."

"But you haven't seen it yet."

He sighed. "I like it as much as I like the last one and the one before that and the one before that…Do you see where I'm going?"

"You really know how to take the fun out of this."

"If I had known that it was supposed to be fun I would have brought my sense of humor along. Sadly, I only have the company of my boredom and frustration…Sorry, there is Pete." The human snickered.

"Who's Pete?" Came Cameron's confused reply.

"My fiancé." The woman in the next cubicle answered.

Ratchet sighed again and turned to his new acquaintance. "We won't be getting out of here any time soon." Pete nodded reluctantly.

The two females exited their respective rooms almost in unison. Both were decked out in white gowns but Ratchet had eyes only for Cameron. The dress she wore hugged her curves and flared out slightly at her hips. It had an off-the-shoulder neckline that rested just below the curve of her shoulders. The material had no ornamentation, unlike some of the others she had shown him. It was like water, shimmery and flowing and he could do little more than gape at her.

As a machine he usually didn't see the purpose of clothing, but at that precise moment he could understand why they made such coverings.

"Do you like it?"

The question didn't penetrate the fog in Ratchet's processor, she was absolutely stunning. He was having trouble putting a single thought together, let alone a coherent sentence.

"I think it's safe to assume he does." The red-haired woman said with a smile. "And so he should, you look gorgeous."

"Thank you." Cameron ducked her head, a blush forming on her holographic cheeks. She was obviously embarrassed by the compliment from a complete stranger.

"Take it off." Ratchet said, finally able to get words past his lips.

"What? Why?" Cameron demanded.

"I'm not supposed to see the dress before the wedding, so go back in there and take it off."

Cameron's answering smile sent thrills through his systems. A small corner of his mind wondered how he could have possibly deserved a femme like her.

#Because you're wonderful.#

#I won't be so wonderful if we remain here much longer.#

#All right. I'll be out in a minute.#

* * *

_The wedding__ day_

Butterflies wrecked havoc in Cameron's stomach as she stared into the mirror. Her hands trembled as she pushed some curls back into place.

Behind her, her mother and Mikaela did some last minute fussing with her gown and train. The skirt flowed out gracefully and Cameron had to consciously stop herself from wiping her hands on it nervously.

"Cameron, are you ready?"

She drew in air deeply. "I guess."

Mikaela leaned over her shoulder and caught her eyes in the mirror. "You feeling okay, Cam?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm just nervous."

"Why? You're getting married."

"Exactly."

Mikaela smiled. "Don't be. Ratchet's waiting for you, just like we practiced." Her grin widened. "He looks cute too. Reckon we can get Sam a hologram like that?"

Cameron laughed and some of her tension melted away. Mikaela winked and hugged her.

"Come on girls, they're waiting." Alana pinned her veil in place and smiled tearfully. "I'm so excited, my baby's getting married."

Cameron smiled back, amused that her mother was already on the verge of tears.

"Alana," Her father's head appeared around the door. "I've come for Cameron."

Alana finished fixing Cameron's veil and hurried from the room. Jonathan stepped through the door. He stopped just inside.

"Darling, you look beautiful. You both do."

"Thanks Dad."

"Thank you Mr. O." Mikaela pushed the bouquet of flowers into her hand. "Let's get you hitched."

Jon smiled. "Right. Um, Optimus Prime is waiting in the corridor; I don't think he was prepared to face this bastion of femininity."

"I'm sure you're right." Prime responded from beyond the door.

The girls laughed and exited Cameron's bedroom. Optimus' holoform was very handsome, his dark hair was slightly grey at the temples but that only added to his debonair appearance. He bowed. "You look lovely Cameron."

"Thank you Optimus. Is Ratchet there?"

He smiled. "He has been waiting in the appropriate position since you parted this morning."

Cameron smothered her giggle of girlish anticipation. "That's brilliant."

Escorted by her father and Optimus, who was standing as Ratchet's best man…mech, they headed towards the main hall.

Jonathan stopped in the doorway. He looked down at her. "Are you certain you're ready for this?"

Cameron nodded. "I've never been more sure."

He smiled and offered her his arm. Cameron slipped her hand into his elbow and together they headed towards the ceremony. Her spark pulsed strongly in her chest; it went faster as they got closer. Just before the final door Cameron fitted the veil over her face. Her vision now obscured by the lace, the fluttering in her stomach started again.

It was now excitement that had her breathing short and her hands trembling on the bouquet. "Ready."

He father smiled and placed his free hand over hers. Together they walked into the hanger-turned-chapel. Even though her sight was distorted by the veil Cameron was able to pick out the various faces of the guests. The Autobots' human holoforms were clumped together on one side while Cameron's family and the other humans sat on the other.

A part of her wished that this wasn't one of her last nights on Earth but it was quickly squashed by her excitement at getting married.

Her fingers tightened on her father's arm as her smile widened, Ratchet stood at the end of the makeshift aisle. The dark tuxedo he wore only made him look more handsome, but then Cameron was biased.

Her father paused and placed her hand in Ratchet's. His fingers squeezed hers reassuringly before letting her go.

* * *

The ceremony passed in a blur. Cameron tried to focus on the words but was constantly distracted by Ratchet's face. The hard line of his jaw, his deep blue eyes, the slightly turned up curve of his lips.

A barb of energy poked at her and she pulled her mind back to what was happening. The priest looked at her expectantly.

"I do."

He smiled and continued. Cameron blushed with embarrassment, thanked Primus that she had gotten the words right, and kept her attention on the moment. It would be far worse if she forgot to give Ratchet his ring.

Finally the Priest placed a hand on each of their shoulders and declared. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Cameron's breathing hitched as her veil was lifted and Ratchet smiled warmly at her. Their lips pressed together for a moment. Heat sizzled between them and her fingers curled into his lapels. They broke apart and Cameron's spark filled with love.

_#Thank you.# _

His answering smile made her insides melt.

They turned towards the loud noises being made by their guests. The Autobots being the loudest. They were quickly swarmed by their guests.

* * *

Prime watched the festivities almost from afar. It was interesting, seeing the way the humans celebrated a bonding, but it was so very different to the way Cybertronians did. A bonding was something special shared between two mechs in the privacy of their home. This was the complete opposite.

He watched as Cameron's father commandeered her from Ratchet only to give her up a few minutes later. Ratchet stepped forward to take her again but was forced out of the way by Jazz. The look on Jazz's face showed that he knew he was irritating the medic. Bowing to what appeared to be convention; Optimus transferred his consciousness into his holoform and stole Cameron from Jazz.

The only ones not interested in the game of keeping Cameron away from Ratchet was Agent Simmons and Ironhide, who was actually standing guard over Scorponok.

Barricade and Skywarp had decided not to attend, just because the situation was beyond their comprehension.

Finally Ratchet seemed to have had enough of their game; he caught Cameron as she was being passed from Bumblebee to Sam. Without breaking his stride, he swung her up into his arms and walked right out of the hangar. Cameron's various dance partners snickered behind their hands. The females were grouped together to the side, their faces all held dreamy expressions. Prime didn't want to know what they were all thinking.

"I think perhaps the night is over." Secretary Keller said next to him. "We should all get some rest."

"You are probably right." Optimus replied. "Tomorrow is bound to be draining for all concerned."

"I'll have Captain Oakham's family escorted to Florida for the launch."

"Thank you, we appreciate all that you have done for us."

Optimus kept watch until the last of the humans were bundled into their cars and the Autobots were alone on the base.

Prime was careful not to make too much noise as he passed the medbay. If a human bonding were anything like Cybertronian one, he knew exactly what Ratchet and Cameron were doing.

He did some last checks on the preparations for tomorrow and headed to his quarters for the last time. A spike of excitement went through his core. It wouldn't be too much longer before he returned to Cybertron. He anticipated finally seeing his beloved home in Iacon, even more, he looked forward to reuniting with Elita-1.

The thought of his bonded sent warmth through his chassis. He settled on the berth and fell into recharge with Elita on his processor.

* * *

Cameron stretched as she climbed out of Jazz's passenger side. She'd chosen to travel with Jazz down to Florida because his cushioning was the best. Too bad he had the smallest amount of leg room.

Holoforms appeared around her. They weren't too worried about exposure, the service station was abandoned. Cameron suspected that the last time anyone had been near this place had been during the last century.

"How are you guys doing?"

They answered positively.

"Excellent. It's only another hundred or so miles until we get there. Feel free to have a stretch, who knows when you'll be able to next."

"When we reach the Ark, I would imagine." Ratchet replied.

Cameron frowned at him. "Fine, stay as a car."

His holoform grinned and his engine revved but there was no other movement.

"Cameron, I would prefer to continue on as quickly as possible." Prime said from behind her.

She sighed and eyed the solstice. "Sure, let's get back on the road.

* * *

**There's like two chapters left. I promise.**

**TammyCat**


	41. Chapter 41

**We're alomost there.**

**Note: Unrepentant plug at end. Skip if you want to.**

_*Comm to Earth*_

_#Comm.#_

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 41**

_*All systems are green. Countdown is two minutes.*_The voice was almost inhuman as it echoed through the cargo area of the rocket.

Cameron could just make out the words as they filtered through the combined mass of the Autobots, Barricade and Scorponok. Although not the most attractive of metal designs, the space-faring protoforms of the Cybertronians were perfectly suited to the situation. Interestingly enough they all fit together like puzzle pieces. Cameron kept the dirty thoughts to herself but that hadn't stop them from flicking through her mind.

Cameron shivered in her cozy space. "Thank you, Houston. Is my family there?"

_*Yes honey, we're here.*_ Her mother's voice answered. _*Good luck, we love you so much baby.*_

Cameron swallowed the lump in her throat. "I love you too, Mum, Dad, Mitch. Take care of yourselves. I'll think of you everyday."

_*We will too, sweetheart. Be careful.*_ He father replied.

_*See ya, Cam. Don't let the robots kick you around.*_ Mitch called out.

Cameron laughed. "I'll try. If they try anything I'll put them in a sleeper hold."

_*Tag team!*_ He exclaimed excitedly. _*Use the chair!*_

_*Mitch, stop it.*_ Alana chastised.

"It's okay Mum. I don't mind."

_*Are you comfortable, honey?*_

"I'm stuck somewhere between Ratchet's chest and thigh. I'm as comfy as could be."

"Don't complain. I altered my protoform for you." Ratchet said.

"And I appreciate it, baby."

_*Launch in forty-five seconds.*_

_*Well, Cameron, this is it. I love you so much.*_ There were tears in her voice.

"I love you too. Don't cry, I'm going to be fine and so will you."

_*We know.*_ Jonathan replied. _*It's just hard for us to let you go.*_

_*Thirty seconds to launch.*_

_*Good luck, Cam*_ Mitch said uncharacteristically somber.

"Back at ya, Squirt. Take care."

Above and around her Cameron heard the various systems warming up.

"You boys ready up there?" She asked the Decepticons.

Thundercracker grumbled but Skywarp answered. _#We're ready.#_

_#You know when to activate your thrusters?#_ Ironhide asked.

_#Yes, Autobot.#_ Thundercracker snapped. _#We're fully aware of what we have to do. How much longer do we have to spend on this disgusting planet?#_

"Watch the insults. I love this disgusting planet."

The Decepticon settled down.

_*Ten seconds to launch. Eight… Seven… Six…*_ The engines rumbled into life.

_* Five…Four…*_

"Goodbye everyone!" Cameron called quickly.

*_Two… One. We have lift off."_

Cameron felt the shuttle quake as it tried to defy gravity and raise its massive and heavy bulk from the earth. The shaking grew more pronounced as the ship lifted away from the ground, its structure groaned bitterly.

Cameron was safely ensconced inside the traveling pod Ratchet had turned into for this inter-stellar trip but that didn't stop the fear flooding her mind. What if the shuttle couldn't take the strain? What if it exploded?

"What if I was two feet tall, with three heads and turned into a dog, would you still love me?"

Cameron laughed, startled out of her dark thoughts. "I'd still love you even if I could fit you in my pocket."

"Than stop worrying. We are fully prepared for any situation."

"Okay." She nodded, willing to believe him.

_*Ark 1, systems check.*_

"How are we doing boys?"

_#All systems are functioning at optimum levels.#_

_#Nothing to report.#_

_#All clear.#_

Cameron relayed the information to the technician. Static filled the line for a moment. _*Thank you, Ark 1. You should be reaching the thermosphere in a matter of minutes.*_

_#I'm feeling a little burning out here.# _Skywarp complained. _#You're atmosphere is not very pleasant to travel through in such an unprotected form.#_

"Hold in there Skywarp, just a little longer. How are you doing Tc?"

_#I've been better.#_ He answered tersely.

"Just remember, you'll soon be on the way home."

_#That sends my spark into flutters of delight.#_ He replied dryly.

_#Too much higher, Allspark, and I don't think we'll be able to ignite our thrusters properly. It gets harder the colder we are.#_ Skywarp reported after a few minutes.

Cameron contemplated for a minute then said. "Optimus, I don't know what to do here. Do we activate the jets earlier than planned or do we hope they can do the job when the time comes?"

He was silent for a moment. _#Let the humans know that we will be deviating from the flight plan. Bumblebee, jettison any unnecessary bulk.#_

_#Bye, Ironhide.# _Jazz called cheerfully.

_#Just wait until I get my hands on you.# _Ironhide growled.

_#Let's just focus on getting to the Ark without any problems, shall we?#_ Optimus said loud enough for them all to hear.

Cameron passed the message just as she heard the booster detach and fall away from the shuttle. A couple of minutes later and the ship shuddered immensely as the Decepticons activated their thrusters. Cameron huddled closer to the metal surrounding her. She couldn't feel the effect of their powerful engines but she could tell how much energy was being output to accelerate them closer to their goal. She could easily feel the strain on their systems and sent them some of her own power to help.

"Don't exert yourself too much."

"It won't matter much if it gets us that much closer to the Ark." She funneled more energy into the jets and focused on protecting their vulnerable bodies.

The control centre back on earth continued to update them as the last parts of the altered rocket dropped away. With a last burst of speed Thundercracker and Skywarp catapulted them beyond the final layers of the atmosphere and into outer space. Cameron felt the weightlessness even though she didn't float. Slider drifted past her face, her optics wide as she tried to reach for Cameron.

"Help!"

Cameron caught her and held her close. "I'll have to wedge you in tighter next time." The small femme attached herself to Cameron's neck.

_#Autobots, prepare to disembark.#_

"Hold on, I don't know what this will be like for you. I've never carried anyone before."

"What's happen-?" The sharp sound of something cracking stopped Cameron mid-sentence. "What was that?"

"The containment section of the rocket has broken away."

"Why does that not fill me with confidence."

"I don't know. I'm quite optimistic about our endeavor."

Cameron sighed and hailed the mechs that had been attached to the 'containment section'. "Seekers? How are you doing?"

_#We're good.#_ Skywarp replied. _#Re-connecting now.#_ Two shudders ran through the mass of metal as the jets made contact.

"All right, boys. Let's get out of here."

She didn't feel any reaction even though she was aware that the Seekers deep space propulsion systems had taken over.

"Just relax. It will take some time for us to reach the Ark."

"I'm guessing it's not just an hour away or that we could distract ourselves by playing eye-spy?"

"Jupiter is more than one hour away even with the Decepticons superior flight technology. Besides, you can't see anything."

"That doesn't mean we can't play. Slider you wanna go first?"

"Sure…I spy something that begins with a 'C'."

Cameron raised her brow. "Please don't tell me it's 'Cameron'."

Slider's head shook. "Nope."

"Carburetor?"

"No."

She looked around the cramped compartment; there really wasn't much to see. "I don't know. Tell me."

"Conversion plate." The mini-femme pointed to the side.

"Nice." Cameron smiled and looked around. "I spy something beginning with 'P'."

"Pipes."

"Damn."

Slider snickered. "I spy something beginning with 'S'."

Cameron studied their surroundings. "Spark-plugs?"

"No."

"Stabilizers?"

Slider looked at her funny. "Are those even visible?"

"No." Ratchet replied.

"Porcelain brake-pads?"

"That doesn't begin with 's'." Slider protested.

"I don't even have those."

"Subsistent coil manifold?"

"Now you're just making things up."

Cameron sighed. "Fine. What is it?"

"Spark-chamber."

"Where?"

"Right there." Slider pointed directly up.

Cameron followed and saw that part of Ratchet's spark-chamber was visible. She reached for it. Just as she got within a few inches the box retreated and was covered with plating.

"Enough games." Ratchet said decisively. "Recharge, I'll wake you when we get there."

Cameron grumbled but settled into her niche.

* * *

Alana opened the door to their hotel room, wiping tears from her eyes. The loss of her daughter weighed heavily on her heart. The knowledge that Cameron would be alive and safe for eternity was the only thing that kept her from completely breaking down. Concern and fear still pricked at her brain but she refused to let it take hold.

As a mother she might not agree with everything her daughter did or chose to do, but there was nothing she could do right now except support Cameron as much as possible.

The television clicked on and Alana broke out of her distraction. Mitch was sitting on the patterned sofa, flicking through channels randomly. His face was closed, he hadn't said a word since Cameron had dropped out of contact. It warmed her heart to see how much Mitch had loved his sister. They hadn't gotten along all the time, as siblings are prone to do. She was worried that his silence hid a lot of pain. She perched on the cushion next to him.

"Mitch, how are you feeling?"

"I'm all right."

She wasn't convinced. "Would you like to talk about it?"

His head shook. Alana wrapped her arms around her son's shoulders. "You're father is getting take-out."

"Okay."

Unsure of what to say, Alana rose and went to wash her face. For some reason that always seemed to revive her.

"Mum! Mum, come here."

She rushed out of the bathroom; Mitch's excited tone drew her to the television. A young newswoman stood with her back to the airfield they had left earlier.

"_It's a sad day here a__t Cape Canaveral. Just two hours ago, a rocket was launched from the John F. Kennedy Space Center. Tragically, the manned capsule exploded within just fifteen minutes of leaving Earth. There has been confirmation that the two astronauts inside the rocket did not survive the explosion. Lieutenant Colonel Ray Chet and Captain Cameron Oakham were the only two people aboard when the ship's fuel cells malfunctioned and exploded. Our hearts and prayers go out to their families. Although no comment has been made as to why the fuel cells malfunctioned, some believe it was caused by the two fighter jets attached to the rocket's hull…"_

Mitch turned the volume down and turned to face Alana. "They're saying she died."

Alana nodded, grief clogging her throat. "They decided it would be the best way to explain her disappearance."

"But she's not dead." He was genuinely distressed.

Alana held him close. "No, sweetie, but the world can't know what really happened. There would be chaos if the robots were revealed."

"So we're supposed to tell everyone that Cam's dead?"

"Yes."

The door swung open. "I have Thai." Jonathan declared as he entered.

"Dad, have you heard what they're saying about Cameron? They're saying she's dead."

Jon nodded, a shadow passing over his face. "Yes, it was my idea."

Mitch stepped backwards. "Why would you do that? She's not dead!"

Her husband ran a hand through his hair, his grief palpable. "How else could we explain her disappearance to everyone? Eventually her friends would ask what happened. What would we tell them?"

Mitch shrugged but Alana could see the situation still upset him. "Do you think she'll ever come back?"

Jon's head shook. "From what I understand, it'll take her hundreds of years to get to their planet."

"So we'll be dead before she even gets there?" His eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

"Yes."

Alana fought back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. "At least she's safe. She has a future, it's so much more than we expected."

Her boys looked at her and, almost simultaneously, the strain eased from their faces. They nodded and moved to the counter.

Alana let them focus on the food; it would make immediate coping easier. She stood by the window, gazing up at the darkening sky. She wondered which star was Cameron's new home and sent a prayer after them.

* * *

Cameron woke with a start. A bizarre pain at the back of her head was the cause. The cause of that was still holding onto her ears.

"You know, it probably would have been easier to just call my name."

Slider released her. "I tried that but you wouldn't wake up. In fact not even a tap-dancing Thundercracker could do the trick."

Cameron's eyes widened in surprise. "Thundercracker can tap-dance?"

Slider rolled her optics and scurried back to her hiding place. A chuckle sounded above them.

"Thundercracker doesn't dance, in any capacity. What Slider meant was you are notoriously hard to wake and we will be arriving soon."

Cameron waited tensely as they got closer to the ship she had been hearing about. The Autobot ship was a personnel transport. Which meant it would be bigger than anything Cameron had ever seen in her life.

"How much longer, Ratchet?" She asked as boredom started to sink in.

"Not long now. The cargo bay doors are almost open. Be patient."

"I can try but you know me."

Cameron managed to push back her tension enough for her excitement to bubble forth again. A tremor had her clutching at Ratchet's plating.

_#Skywarp, Thundercracker, what are you doing?#_ Optimus demanded.

_#You can take it from here.#_ Thundercracker replied, there was an odd tenor to his voice.

"What's going on?"

"The Decepticons have detached from us and are refusing to enter the ship."

#_Autobots, break. Ratchet, get Cameron inside.#_

Another, more powerful, jolt passed through them and Cameron grabbed at the metal to anchor her. _What the hell is going on? _The sentence looped in her head as the capsule broke open. She stepped out hurriedly and ducked as a second travel-pod streaked over her head. She rushed towards the large open door. She had to stop on the way since her feet had lost contact with the floor; Slider gripped her hair as she started to float away. Together they managed to work their way closer to the doors. Behind them Cameron could hear the grating of gears as Ratchet transformed out of his pod-like protoform.

He caught them in his hand moments before they would have floated out of the ship. Not that Cameron would have noticed if they had, she was distracted by the sight in front of her.

Black interspersed with dots of light stretched out in a panorama of sci-fi brilliance. The massive orb of Jupiter's moon sat low in the corner of her vision but her attention was taken by the forms swooping around each other.

The Autobots, now back in bipedal modes, hung in space watching the Decepticons. She started, entranced by the beauty of their movements. Their bodies seemed to take on an almost unreal quality as they dipped and spun through Jupiter's rings.

"Optimus, pull back." He turned to look at her but didn't move. "Please."

Jazz and Bumblebee were the first to join them on the cargo deck, Ironhide and Prime came in more slowly.

When they all stood in the doorway watching the jets, Bumblebee asked. "What are they doing?"

Jazz shrugged. "I don' know, but they're not attackin' us."

"They're dancing." Cameron whispered. The Autobots looked at her curiously. "They're playing. Like a pair of puppies. They're enjoying the freedom that comes with finding the Allspark and going home."

"How do you know that?" Bee asked.

"I can hear them, read their thoughts."

Prime shook his head. "Call them into the ship when they're done. Ironhide, let's make sure Ark-13 is still functional." The two mechs turned their backs on the amazing display.

It was baffling to Cameron that they could just dismiss the wonder. No matter how many times she saw this, Cameron was sure she would always be astounded by the sheer beauty and abandonment of their dance.

"You can see it, can't you?" She asked the remaining Autobots.

"I see Seekers." Jazz answered. "Doin' the same moves I've seen them do since the start of the war. It's nothin' new."

"But how can you not acknowledge that this is beautiful?"

"Because it's not. I'm expecting to get blown up 'cause that's what happens every other time they fly."

Ratchet nodded. "He's right, Cameron. Skywarp and Thundercracker are performing standard aerial bombing maneuvers. If this were an attack, we would be piles of scrap metal by now." Cameron sighed as the two left her standing there.

"I can see it." Slider replied.

"As can I." Bumblebee said softly.

Cameron jumped, she'd forgotten that Bumblebee was still there.

"Although my feelings concerning the Seekers are biased due to the war. I do share your opinions on the way they move, it's graceful. Did you know Megatron designed them?"

"No. I know the exact date the first one was brought to the Allspark though."

Bee smiled. "It's hard to believe a monster like Megatron could have created something capable of being so magnificent. He wanted a machine that would have an advantage over us ground-bound Autobots. Eventually he remodeled himself so he could be more like them."

"I didn't know that was an option." Slider said. "Maybe I could get a bigger body. I don't like being small enough to get stepped on."

Cameron laughed lightly. "I'll look into it." She looked out at the swooping Decepticons. "Do you think that there's a chance for peace? Realistically?"

Bumblebee was silent for a moment. "Eventually. It will be hard to begin with, we're all so used to fighting. Encouraging couples like Slider and Frenzy will probably help. Inter-faction relationships were frowned upon."

"Being the Allspark's Companion won't hurt my cause." Slider said proudly.

"No, it won't." Cameron agreed. "That you're already bonded to Frenzy will help as well. I'm happy that Barricade finally decided to leave the Decepticons. He'll be accepted more readily if he's not wearing his patches anymore."

Bumblebee chuckled. "Can I be there when he sees Prowl? Please."

"Who's Prowl?"

Amusement was ripe in his voice. "Barricade's brother."

"He has a brother?" Cameron gasped in amazement.

"Yep, their creators had both shells sparked at the same time. Apparently they had a fight just before Barricade joined the Decepticons. Prowl is Optimus' lieutenant, so I don't think it went down well. He was with us on the Ark but left earlier to investigate a lead. He'll probably meet us on the way back if he hasn't already returned."

"I never imagined that Barricade had a brother."

"Prowl doesn't like to broadcast it and I don't think it was common knowledge amongst the Decepticons."

Cameron frowned. "That's sad. They haven't seen each other in thousands of years because of a disagreement."

"Actually it was more than that." Barricade's rough voice said behind them. Cameron and Bee turned to see Barricade, Frenzy and Scorponok. Their expressions serious.

"Want to talk about it?" Cameron asked.

"Not particularly but I suppose it'll come out eventually."

Bumblebee nodded. "Almost certainly. It might not if you never see Prowl again and cease any and all contact with us."

He nodded. "That is a possibility I would consider except it is most likely that I will reside somewhere close to the Allspark."

"Why?"

"This little slag wants to be close to Slider." He shrugged his shoulder, jostling Frenzy. The little mech grinned unrepentantly and scaled down Barricade's arm to the floor.

"So, why were you fighting with your brother?"

"I didn't agree with his plans for our futures."

"What were the plans?"

"That we become loyal little Auto-chumps with no real fight in our servos. He thought he was right and expected me to follow blindly."

Cameron nodded. She recalled the intense desire for independence that lay in his spark, no doubt having someone else choose his future had rubbed Barricade the wrong way.

"So you decided to rebel and join the Decepticons."

"Not before taking pot-shots at Bluestreak." Frenzy snickered.

"Who's Bluestreak?" Slider asked.

"Prowl's bonded." Bumblebee answered. "You shot Blue?"

"I didn't approve of his choice of bond-mate."

Cameron stared in shock. "That's no reason to attack your brother's spark-mate."

The black mech shrugged. "I don't need to explain my actions."

"What was wrong with him?"

"He was irritating."

"He's one of the nicest mechs ever sparked." Bee declared.

Barricade's rolled his optics. "Of course you're going to say that, you're an Autobot."

Cameron watched as the two continued to argue. Scorponok sidled up to her and trilled happily.

"Hey buddy. Are you looking forward to going home?"

He lowered his head slightly. _'It won't feel like home without Blackout.'_

Cameron felt her heart go out to the sad machine. "Don't worry, sweetie. You'll stick with me until you feel like you can stand on your own. I'll always need you around."

The broad head bobbed before swinging up. 'Incoming.' He butted her softly and scuttled deeper into the ship.

Cameron watched with concern as he disappeared into the dark, she wished that she had a chance to reanimate Scorpy's lost Partner. It would make him so happy. Unfortunately the sparkless shell had been dropped into the ocean along with the rest of the Decepticons.

She looked up at the arguing mechs. "Are you two done yet?"

They looked down at her. Barricade's mouth opened to respond but nothing came out.

"Good. Play nice, boys, the Seekers are coming in."

Barricade spun on his heel and went in the same direction as the Autobots. Cameron stared after him, curious as to why there always seemed to be some kind of drama going on.

* * *

Barricade hurried through the ship, his long legs covering ground quickly. He had no destination in mind but he'd prefer to be anywhere than with the Seekers.

He was able to deal with Skywarp, the mech processed things in a way that was different to others. Some considered him stupid, Barricade thought of him as creative.

Thundercracker on the other hand, there was a mech who was Decepticon straight to his core. He'd be one to continue fighting even after the Autobots declared the war over, with the Allspark's support. He was the sort of mech who enjoyed his job, and the last Barricade had heard his job was deactivating traitorous Decepticons.

Barricade was fairly certain he was now part of that group. Tc would love to catch him alone.

Ahead of him Scorponok ducked around a corner. As much as he hated to admit it, he and the Companion had more in common than ever before. Both were beholden to the new Allspark for their current health and safety, neither could ever go back to the lives they'd had before and both would have to adjust to living with the Autobots.

He peaked into the room; something told him that Scorponok would be able to make that change comfortably. The Companion was curled up next to Ratchet, the Autobot medic absently petting his head while fiddling with a switchboard.

Lights flickered on above him.

Unsure of what to do with himself now, Barricade wandered the hallways inspecting the Autobots ship. The standard name for the space cruisers was, Ark. Numbers were added to distinguish them from each other but the name stayed the same. He'd only ever seen the outside of an Ark before, making this journey curiously new for multiple reasons.

Finding an information console, Barricade found that he was on the officer's deck. The overall layout was different to the Decepticon ship, Nemesis. It had fewer weapons and more cargo and living quarters. The ship itself was larger than the Nemesis, designed to carry troops from one sector to another. The Decepticon battle cruiser had been largely for swift, deadly attacks against ships like the Ark.

"Doing some research?" Ironhide approached him.

"Is there a problem with that?" He noticed the Autobots' weapons hadn't yet activated. That was a good sign.

Ironhide watched him intently for a moment. "Just remember, I'll be the one you face if you betray us."

Irritation sparked in his processor. Why was he constantly being accused of treachery? It might be a part a Decepticon life but he was no longer a Decepticon and hadn't betrayed anyone since Starscream's deactivation. He was as close to being an Autobot as an ex-Decepticon could be in such a short time.

"If you're going to threaten anyone, Ironhide, threaten the ones who will shoot you as soon as your back is turned. If you do want to attack me, take a number, there's two _Decepticons_ on board who're in front."

The Weapon's Specialist smirked and shoved him aside with a hand on Barricade's shoulder. "I'll let the _Autobots_ know to watch their backs."

Barricade resisted the urge to punch the black Autobot in the back of his head. It wouldn't get him any points and would most likely get him a one-way ticket to the brig or Oblivion.

Offlining his optics and dropping his head to his chest, Barricade focused on calming the burning anger in his spark. Life had never been easy but he thought it would get better once he understood where he stood in the scheme of things, and it had. Once he was established in the Decepticons, life had gotten significantly better. But now that was all in tatters, he was once again lost somewhere between factions with no clue what he should do.

He onlined his optics with a sigh, he caught sight of something red shining on his shoulder. His first thought was that one of the Seekers had found him. His gaze whipped around to find the owner of the laser target. He was alone. Curious and wary, Barricade looked back down. A surprised grunt came from his vocaliser as he recognized what he had mistaken for a laser point. A red Autobot symbol glinted at him; apparently he wasn't as lost as he thought he was. He looked down the corridor as Ironhide disappeared around a corner; a smirk lifted one side of his mouth. Not alone at all.

* * *

Cameron entered the bridge with Ratchet; she was sitting on his shoulder so she had no choice in the matter. The bridge of the Ark was so far beyond anything she had expected. Certainly Captain Pickard wasn't going to engage warp drive from here. She snickered at the image of him sitting in Prime's massive chair.

The reason they had come here stood on the other side of the command center. Optimus stood at the front, watching the stars.

"Your pod's ready, Prime." Ratchet said as they reached him.

"Everyone else is settled?"

"Quite comfortably." Cameron replied.

She studied the leader, tension ran through his spark. It pulled at her. "Is something wrong, Optimus?"

His mouth opened but no sound came out for a moment. "It seems so…unreal, to be finally going home. We've been gone for so long."

Cameron smiled softly. "I don't think they've forgotten you if that's what you're worried about."

A breath of laughter came from his throat. "I doubt Elita would let them. I just hope our species will be able to live peacefully after all these years of fighting."

Cameron nodded, that was a concern of hers as well. How would hundreds of battle-programmed robots react when there was no more fighting? There would be elation, no doubt, but when it died away, what was going to happen? How do consummate soldiers go back to peaceful lives they'd never known?

"We'll help them, Optimus." Ratchet replied. "It may take some getting used to, but we'll do it. Once we find them, the soothing natures of the femmes will help a great deal."

"Are you stereotyping the girls, Ratch?"

"Of course not, sweetspark. The femmes are known for their greater compassion, they have always been against the war. Except Chromia, I'm still trying to find where she stashed her compassion components."

Optimus smiled. "Chromia is a firecracker. I think she gave them to Moonracer."

Ratchet groaned. "I relinquish all responsibility over that femme."

"Who's Moonracer?" Cameron asked curiously. "An old girlfriend?"

"Hardly, she was my assistant. Very kind but liked to extol on the pointlessness of fighting. Needless to say, the recovering soldiers didn't like to hear their efforts weren't appreciated."

Cameron grinned. "I look forward to meeting her."

Ratchet groaned again and turned to Optimus. "I want to get your systems synced with the stasis pod before I throw myself out of an airlock."

Cameron punched his shoulder. "Do that and I'll shack up with Barricade."

Ratchet glared at her and she smiled back. a pulse of affection eased the stormy look on his face.

"I love you."

He growled.

"Come on, you two." Prime stepped back and preceded them out of the bridge.

"I love you." Cameron repeated as Ratchet followed Optimus. She said it again and again as they headed for the stasis bay. Each time, she pushed a wedge of love and affection into his spark.

He didn't speak until Prime's optics dimmed and he went into stasis lock.

"Would you stop that?"

"Stop what?...I love you."

A smile tugged at the edges of his lips. "I know, but you doing that while I'm working is highly distracting."

She smiled widely. "You love me."

"I do."

Cameron sent a trail of energy along his back. "Do you know that we're alone?"

"I do."

"Do you know what I want?"

He flashed her a charmingly wicked smile. "I do."

* * *

**Plug: Told you it was here :) I have a new story up. "Playing with Fire." ****I was hoping to convince some of you to take a look at it. I'm not sure if it has the potential to go anywhere. But, yeah, if you could take a look and let me know what you think, I'd appreciate it. Thank you. TammyCat xoxo**


	42. The End

****

Here we are once again at the start of a new chapter. Sadly it is the very last for Cameron. She probably won't be making an appearance again anytime soon. I say 'probably' because knowing me I'll get a bunny and have to write something down.

**I don't know if it's a coincidence or not but the phone I used as a basis for Slider recently died. Just a bit of wacky trivia for you.**

**Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me as I tried to get this story out of my head. When I finally wrote that last word I was so ecstatic, it felt so good to have this come to a completion****…and for some reason I couldn't quite leave Barricade alone. *shrugs***

**Enjoy the last chapter of Allspark Reborn.**

* * *

**Chapter 42**

The air rushed out with a loud hiss as the locks on the stasis chamber released. Cameron lifted a hand to her head, pushing away the grogginess from her mind. Inside her head she felt the active energy signatures of Optimus Prime, Ironhide, Ratchet and Barricade. They were all in separate parts of the ship. Prime and 'Hide were on the bridge, Barricade was on the cargo deck and Ratchet was two levels above her.

She squished her irritation that he had left her in stasis alone. He no doubt had an excuse that would mean nothing to her but he would expect her to accept it anyway. Men!

Shaking her head, she exited the stasis chamber; she walked past the other mechs still locked in stasis. Jazz and Bumblebee slept next to each other while the Decepticon Seekers rested at the other end of the room. With a glance back at her friends, she left the stasis bay.

The deck was cold under her feet as she made her way through the ship. Ratchet wouldn't be expecting her to be awake yet; a smile appeared on her face as she thought of how she could surprise him.

Keeping her energy close to avoid alerting him, Cameron hurried through the ship. It wouldn't take her five minutes to navigate the corridors and reach Ratchet.

She stared at the mech, this wasn't what she had been expecting. Instead of finding her bonded she saw a white mech in his place. She stood in the doorway and watched as he tinkered with something on the desk. She could feel the concentration roll off of him in waves. Whatever he was doing, it had his complete attention.

Sneaking up behind him she released her energy field and watched as he jumped as the surge reached him. Amusement filled her face as he turned around.

"Knocking would have been just as effective."

Cameron tapped a finger against her chin. "He sounds like my bonded, his energy signature is the same as my bonded's but he doesn't look like my Ratchet."

The white and red head shook. "Like I said, knocking would have been effective."

"But not nearly as entertaining." She winked.

"I'll give you entertaining." He grumbled under his breath and turned back to the bench.

"What are you working on?"

He leaned down to pick her up. "Bits and pieces that I put on hold when we reached Earth."

"Are they important?"

"They might be. They have the potential. This one for instance," He picked up something that looked like a demented coffee plunger. "Could possibly mean the end of long-distance communications delays."

Cameron eyed the weird-looking machine and nodded. "Okay then. What about that one?" She pointed at an oval stone the size of her head.

"I'm not too sure. It's one of Wheeljack's, he asked me to run some tests on it."

"Isn't he the mad scientist?"

"Yes, he is a bit eccentric. I don't know if 'mad' is an appropriate word though."

"He blows himself up regularly."

Ratchet paused then nodded. "Mad, but only in the most affectionate meaning."

"Of course." She nodded. "I'm actually really excited to meet all of these mechs. I hope they like me."

"They'll worship you." He smiled.

Cameron's eye's widened. "I don't know if I particularly like that idea."

"Too bad." He winked. "You're the Allspark and your power gave life to thousands of robotic beings. Only a handful of mechs have been spark-born, and there was something wrong with all of them."

"Really? Like what?"

Ratchet pursed his lips as he thought. "There's a mech called Blurr, he was a problem slowing down. The Twins, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, are mental. They are constantly in my medbay because they've done something stupid, usually throwing themselves at Decepticons. They have a particular fondness for flying mechs. Wheeljack is spark-born as well."

"Looks like I'll be meeting some very interesting mechs. Especially those twins."

"It is my every hope that you don't meet them."

Cameron smiled and watched as he continued to tinker. She waited a few minutes before asking. "What's with the new look?"

He glanced down at her. "This design is more suited to the environments of Cybertron. The others will eventually have to revert back to the previous modes or modify their current forms."

"Is Cybertron really all that different from Earth? Organic features aside."

Ratchet nodded. "Yes. Cybertron's terrain is dramatically different to Earth's. the only city even minorly similar to Earth is Simfur."

"That's where the Cube's temple is." Cameron said proudly.

He nodded. "It's beautiful city. At least it had been before the Decepticons destroyed it."

"All of Cybertron is beautiful."

"That's the Allspark in you talking. Personally I never found Helex or Polyhex even vaguely attractive."

Cameron smiled softly as images swirled through her head. "They have their own charms. Like you. In spite of your sometimes prickly nature, I still love you."

Ratchet looked like he wanted to protest her comment. She grinned when he didn't say anything.

* * *

"Prime, we have a signal." Jazz said suddenly.

Cameron froze halfway across the room. A signal? That meant an Autobot, right? Her spark began to pulse faster as excitement flooded through her. This was way more interesting than returning to stasis lock. It didn't seem fair that she had to spend half of her first (and most likely only) trip on a space ship in stasis lock.

"How long until they're aboard?"

"With a slight deviation in our course, we can reach them in a matter of minutes."

"Do it."

Cameron crept closer to the two mechs. "Have we found an Autobot?"

Optimus looked down at her. "I hope so. It's a Cybertronian signal but they haven't identified themselves yet."

"Maybe they can't." Bumblebee said entering the bridge. "Maybe their communicator is damaged."

"Whatever the reason, I don't want to take any chances. Bumblebee find Barricade and wait in the landing dock for them. Jazz, keep us on course and inform me when they're within close communications range." He turned and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Cameron called.

"I going to wake Ratchet from stasis." He disappeared. Cameron winced, that wasn't a job she would want. Ratchet could get very cranky right after waking up, then again he was cranky fairly often.

"Who do you think it could be?" Bumblebee asked, leaning over Jazz's shoulder.

"Could be anyone we dropped along the way. Arcee, Cliffjumper or Air Raid are my guess. They were the last to go."

"I hope it's Air Raid. I wouldn't want to be in close quarters with Barricade when Cliffjumper or Arcee saw him."

Jazz chuckled and brought an image up on the screen. The dark oval-shaped pod was similar to the others Cameron had seen.

"I could come with you." She offered. "I could help if there's trouble."

The couple looked at her and Bumblebee nodded. "I won't say no to divine help."

She climbed up to the yellow shoulder with the aid of a helping hand. "How far away is the pod?"

"By the time you hustle Barricade down there we'll be within range."

He was right. Barricade had balked at being part of the welcoming party. He'd practically ran out of the room when Bee had told him why they'd tracked him down.

"C'mon 'Cade. This'll be a good chance to be seen as an Autobot."

"I'm not an Autobot." Barricade growled.

Cameron pointed to his shoulder. "That badge says differently."

A black hand went to the red symbol. "I didn't ask for this."

Bumblebee grinned. "But you haven't taken it off yet."

Barricade snarled and Cameron broke in. "Let's go, boys. We don't want whoever it is to turn up without a welcoming party."

Barricade growled unhappily but followed them down to the landing bay. Cameron kept her eyes on the open doors. She could watch the stars forever, they burned so softly and beautifully in the endless dark.

The comet-pod was still an astoundingly long distance away. It glowed slightly as it rocketed towards them.

"Who do you think it is?"

"It could be anyone." Bee replied.

"That's a comforting thought." Barricade said dryly.

"Don't worry." Bumblebee smirked. "I doubt Prowl will be cruising thus far from Cybertron."

Cameron watched as tension filled Barricade's frame at the mention of his brother. Jeez, what would he be like when they finally faced one another?

"Would you stop talking about him. I don't care about him or his opinions." Barricade turned his back to them, glaring at the wall instead.

Cameron shook her head and put sorting out the problems between Barricade and his brother on her to-do list.

#_Contact in four minutes.#_ Jazz's voice came over the ship's speakers.

Transferring her gaze back to the open hatch, Cameron saw that they were considerably closer to the pod then they had been minutes before.

"Do you want to see anyone in particular?" Cameron asked Bumblebee.

He shrugged. "Cliffjumper, maybe. We're the same model so we're kind of related in a way."

Cameron smiled. _That's cute_.

"Jazz, any clue who's in there?" Bee asked.

_#Nope, they're not responding. I do have confirmation of an Autobot signal though.#_

"Excellent." Barricade growled. "I would have preferred a Decepticon."

Bumblebee clapped his shoulder. "Cheer up 'Cade. It'll be over quickly."

"When they try to shoot me, I'm going to use you as a shield."

"_If_ they shoot at you. _If_."

Barricade sent them a look. "_When_ they shoot."

_#Brace for containment.#_

Bumblebee carried her to the side, out of the way of the incoming mechanoid. Cameron felt the heat roll off the pod as it floated past them to land awkwardly on the floor. The back section of the pod was steaming while the front was coated in ice. _Bizarre_.

Lines of silver began to liquefy, running along the seams of metal towards the back. Bumblebee moved back to the middle of the hanger, Barricade joined them. Both held weapons aimed at the new arrival.

Arms and legs separated from the bulk. A head emerged and the body twisted until it was fully standing. It's grey and black coloring was scorched in places. It looked around before turning to face them.

Bumblebee exclaimed happily. "Bluestreak!"

Blue optics widened. "Bumblebee." He laughed a little before freezing.

Cameron followed the wide stare to Barricade. The dark mech was also watching the new mech with an uncertain expression.

Things clicked in Cameron's mind. This was Bluestreak, Prowl's bonded. The same mech Barricade had used to severe his connection with Prowl. Bluestreak looked like he expected to be shot. Barricade looked the same.

"Blue, you remember Barricade." Bumblebee said breaking the silence.

"Very well." Cameron felt the fear in his spark.

"He's joined the Autobots."

The bright optics sparkled and a smiled lit up his face. "Really? That wonderful!" His fear apparently forgotten, Bluestreak took a step towards them. "Prowl's will be so happy. He's been worried about you for so long. He hasn't said it but I can tell, whenever he heard your name he'd get real sad. I never thought this would happen. I'm so happy."

"I'm not an Autobot." Barricade snapped.

Bumblebee and Bluestreak look at his questioningly. Cameron wasn't surprised, Barricade had looked increasingly uncomfortable as Bluestreak spoke.

"But you have the patches." Bluestreak sounded confused.

"I only wear them so you stupid Autobots don't shoot me."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Sure, 'Cade, we'll believe that." She smiled at the new mech. "Hi Bluestreak, I'm Allspark."

They had discussed it and decided it would be easier on everyone if she was now referred to herself as Allspark instead of Cameron. In public anyway.

Blue optics locked onto her face. He smiled. "Hello. Your name is Allspark?"

He looked both curious and scandalized.

Cameron's smile widened and she reached out with her power. Shock covered the silver face.

"Allspark. _The_ Allspark?"

"It's a long story." Bumblebee replied.

Bluestreak nodded, his startled optics never leaving her face. She read his intention before he'd properly computed it.

"Don't bow and _please_ don't kneel." Cameron still wasn't sure where she stood on that sort of behavior. It freaked her out slightly.

He blinked and nodded, optics occasionally darting to Barricade.

"Good. Now that we're all reacquainted, why don't we get you to the medbay. I'm sure Ratchet is more than eager to examine you."

At her request, Bumblebee transferred her to Barricade's shoulder then led Bluestreak to the medbay. Cameron and Barricade followed slowly.

"'Cade, I know you don't like to talk about your feeling, or talk at all, but I want you to try, and I think Bluestreak would be a good starting point."

He frowned. "That might be hard since I'm going into stasis as soon as I deliver you to the medic."

Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Really? I was there when they organized the roster and I'm fairly sure you don't go back for another two or three joors."

Barricade grumbled but didn't say anything.

"I want you to be the one to show him around."

"He's an Autobot. I'm sure he knows the layout of an Ark."

"That's not the point. What's a better way of being accepted by the Autobots?"

"Dropping Megatron's head at their feet?" He suggested.

She punched his shoulder. "Stop being stubborn. Having Frenzy bonded to Slider may not be enough to persuade them all that you've changed. Becoming friends with your brother's partner, the mech you once targeted, could very well make them reconsider executing you."

Barricade was silent for a moment. "I think I'd prefer the execution."

"Too bad, I won't let that happen. Think of it as your punishment for all the things you did as a Decepticon, if you have to. But at least make the effort."

"I'm not friendly or nice. I'm not an Autobot!"

Cameron stroked the side of his helmet soothingly. "I know. I'm not asking you to completely change who you are. I just want you to try talking to Bluestreak…Think of the look of shock on Prowl's face when he sees you standing next to Bluestreak, it'll be hilarious."

A slightl grin appeared on the black face and Cameron smiled back.

His scowl returned quickly. "I'm still not an Autobot. Circumstance, and you, are forcing me to accept the badges. For the moment."

Cameron laughed softly, letting him know she was proud of him in an unspoken way.

They entered the medbay to see Ratchet looming over a cowering Bluestreak, a wrench in one hand and a scanner in the other. Bumblebee stood to the side watching the exchange.

"I didn't think you were stupid, Bluestreak, but this just proves that I can be wrong. Why, for Primus sake, didn't you insulate before entering your cometary mode?"

"I'm sorry."

"You will be. Not only do I now have to reassess every piece of circuitry in your body, but then I'll have to remove and replace anything that looks even vaguely like any of the rust viruses we've encountered, and you get to be online while I do it."

"Don't be too hard on him, Ratchet." Cameron said once he'd finished yelling.

His white face turned to her. "He willingly endangered himself just to cut a few orns from his trip."

Cameron slipped from Barricade's shoulder and moved to Ratchet's side. Really, the mech could be so domineering sometimes. "He's young and eager to get home. I hardly blame him for skimming through his preparations."

"Skimming through and completely ignoring are different."

"I protected my hard-drive and important systems." Bluestreak offered.

"Shut up." Ratchet growled. "I'm not finished with you yet."

"Leave the poor boy alone. He's probably exhausted from the journey. Bluestreak, go refuel and come back." Her eyes never left Ratchet's face.

* * *

Bluestreak looked between them before stepping back towards Bumblebee. "What's going on?"

"They have superiority issues. They're constantly wanting to be better than the other."

"How can Ratchet think he'd be better than the Allspark?"

"It's couple superiority that they're trying to prove." Barricade said from his other side.

Bluestreak jumped. Having Prowl's estranged brother next to him excited and confused him. For as long as he could remember, Barricade had defied Prowl every chance he got. When he had left them to join the Decepticons, Prowl had almost broken down. It had been Barricade's attack on Bluestreak that brought Prowl back to the world.

Now he stood next to the mech that had wanted to destroy him but couldn't summon any hate or anger. Instead it was happiness that made his spark pulse hot. Prowl would be so surprised when he saw his long-lost brother. His processor would probably stall.

"Couple superiority?"

Barricade looked down at him. He was so different yet very similar to Prowl. It was something in their optics. "They're bonded."

It took a moment for his words to register. "What?" Blue gaped.

"They're bonded." Barricade repeated.

He turned to Bumblebee. "Is that true?"

The yellow head bobbed. "Ratchet and Cameron have been together since she was still partly organic."

"Cameron?"

"Sorry, Allspark. Cameron was her organic name."

Bluestreak nodded and looked back at the medic and Allspark. Ratchet had activated his holoform and they stood close together, almost glaring at each other while they spoke. Now that he actually looked, the connection between them was noticeable.

Ratchet suddenly smirked and pulled Allspark against him. The Allspark struggled, her hands on Ratchet's chest. Bluestreak was about to step forward when Bumblebee's hand appeared on his arm. He glanced up at his friend and back at the pair. Allspark's frown turned into a grin as her arms wrapped around Ratchet's neck.

It was in Bluestreak to deny what he was seeing. Surely it was sacrilegious to touch the Allspark like that. Why weren't Bumblebee or Barricade doing anything? From sparklinghood they were taught that the Allspark was to be revered and cherished. Not groped.

Cameron looked up from Ratchet's optics. On the other side of the room Bluestreak looked very uncomfortable. She could feel his confusion.

"Honey," She whispered against Ratchet's audio. "I don't think Bluestreak is ready to face this."

Ratchet turned to face the trio. "Go refuel. I'll deal with your problems when your energy levels are stable."

Bluestreak was hustled out of the medbay by Bumblebee, Barricade following.

"I think Ratchet won that one." Bee said amused.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later." Barricade replied.

"Doesn't that seen wrong to either of you?"

Barricade shrugged. "You get used to their affectionate displays."

"Not that, well yes that, but the Allspark is sacred."

Bumblebee and Barricade exchanged a looked. The darker mech shrugged again.

"I guess it should have bothered us but she was never really like the Allspark to us. She has a heart and soul; she's not just a powerful cube." Bee answered.

Bluestreak stared at his friend, still unable to wrap his processor around what he'd learned.

"Just be grateful the medic will be in a good mood when you go back in." Barricade muttered as he stepped past them. He stopped several meters away and turned back. "The mess hall is this way."

* * *

Cameron traced her fingers along the lines of Ratchet's helmet; she never tired of touching him. His new white paint gleamed under the bright lights.

"You are so handsome." She said softly.

He smiled and drew her closer. "You're blinded by the lights."

"Not true! I know exactly what I'm talking about. I'll probably have to beat everyone away from you with a stick."

Ratchet pushed his nose against her neck and kissed her shoulder. "The only person you'll have to beat away is me."

Cameron giggled and ran her hands down his back. "I'm looking forward to spending eternity with you."

"Considering the reaction we just saw from Bluestreak, I don't know how easy it will be."

"We'll find a way. It's not as if anyone can force me to give up my powers and I refuse to give you up."

His optics shone and love spread through their bond. His lips pressed down on hers tenderly. Cameron sighed as she melted into his arms. It never ceased to amaze her how good they were together. The embrace ended far too soon in Cameron's opinion and she pouted.

Ratchet grinned and kissed her puckered lips. "You should be in stasis."

She groaned and dropped her head on his shoulder. "I don't want to. This is exciting and I don't want to miss any of it."

"I promise that you'll get plenty of chances to fly around space in the future, but right now I want you to focus on conserving and building you strength. There's no telling what will happen when we reach Cybertron. It's been a dying planet for hundreds of thousands of years."

Cameron smiled sadly as she thought of the once beautiful planet. It would be hurting a great deal. "You're right. I'll go back into stasis and program my release for when we get close to Cybertron."

He held her close until Barricade returned with Bluestreak.

* * *

Cameron woke abruptly. Thoughts whirled through her head too fast for any of them to be fully understood. The only thing she could be sure of was that something wasn't right. It was nothing definite, just an overall sense of agitation.

The stasis pod's cover hissed open and Cameron stepped out. She looked at the control panel and frowned, she wasn't supposed to be awake yet. What had disrupted her stasis?

The room in front of her seemed out of place, the edges of the things around her were all blurred. It was like she was seeing everything through a haze.

The unfathomable unease continued to plague her as she moved closer to the other energy signals on the ship. For some reason she couldn't distinguish one from the other. The faces of the mechs she'd come to love barely registered in her mind as she aimed for the bridge, pulled by an invisible force. She could hear them speaking to her but their voices were too vague; she couldn't make out any of the words.

Finally she reached the foremost window. Star speckled darkness stretched out in front of her, each point becoming less interesting as her eyes sought one in particular. It was too far away for her to see but she could feel its pull.

The odd sensations now made sense. Cybertron was calling to her. The Allspark's greatest creation knew its maker was close and it was using the last of its power of summon her. It needed her desperately

A presence pushed against her mind. It felt very familiar but everything else had paled in importance next to this ache caused by Cybertron's pain.

_#Cameron, please speak to us. Are you all right?#_

She knew that voice. It spoke to her spark.

_#Ratchet?#_ Cameron wavered as she came out of her trance.

Relief flooded their connection as red hands wrapped around her and lifted her into the air. Ratchet's presence engulfed her and the pain eased.

A red light passed over her and Cameron waited until the medical scan was over before looking around her. The Autobots watched her warily; they didn't seem to know what to do.

"What happened?" She asked.

Ratchet held her up to his face. "You walked straight through the bridge and stood next to the window. You were muttering under you breath. We couldn't understand the language but you were very serious. What were you saying?"

Cameron shook her head. "I don't know. I wasn't aware I was speaking."

"Well, there doesn't appear to be anything wrong, but you're not due to exit stasis for another four orns."

"I know. Something…forced me out of stasis. I can't explain it but we need to get there now. Cybertron can't wait any longer."

Somber faces looked back at her and Cameron was sad that she couldn't give them better news.

Optimus turned. "Ironhide, push the engines as far as they can go."

Ironhide nodded and moved to a station. "At maximum capacity it will take us three and a half orns to reach Cybertron and that's if the Ark will hold up under that stress."

"With my help we can do it in two." Cameron's eyes locked with Primes' and he nodded.

"Take her down to the drive room."

Ironhide came closer and ratchet held her closer to his body. "I have to protest. Cameron needs to retain as much energy as possible. This could be highly dangerous."

Cameron reached up and stroked the underside of his jaw. "I have to do this. We have to get there now."

Reluctantly Ratchet released her into Ironhide's hands, his concern pushing against their bond. Cameron answered with a spark of reassurance.

Corridors flashed past as Ironhide's long stride ate up the distance between the bridge and drive room.

"Can you really pull that much power out of the engines?"

"Even if I can't, I'm sure as hell going to try."

The drive room was twice the size of the loading dock. The two twin-engines thrummed beastially as they pushed the massive space-cruiser towards Cybertron.

Cameron dropped to the ground and flitted between the engines, attaching cables as she went. Sitting in the very centre of the four large units, she connected the cables to her body and let her power flow out and into the engines. She heard Ironhide exclaim from the side.

* * *

Pulling her attention away from the regular pulse of the engines, Cameron eased her power back into her body and stood. The cables dropped to the floor. A wave of dizziness rolled over her and she had to focus on remaining standing. She accessed a reserve of energy and the world stabilized. Her hand rose to press against her chest, the ache that had urged her to hurry was now a sharp pain in her spark.

Ironhide appeared next to her and she staggered forward. "Need sparks." She gasped.

Black hands closed around her and Cameron felt comforted by the strong pulse of his spark. Air brushed over her face as Ironhide hurried through her ship. The pain eased slightly as she sensed that Ratchet and the others were close. He had been sitting at the edge of their bond during Cameron's excursion in the drive room; his loving, concerned presence keeping her anchored the entire time.

They joined the other Autobots on the bridge. A spattering of applause came from Bumblebee and Bluestreak as they entered. Surrounded by all these warm sparks, Cameron relaxed. She was tired and Cybertron's pain screamed at her but she felt better with nine pulsing sparks around her.

Her first sight of Cybertron left her gasping. The very first vision she'd received hadn't prepared her for this. The planet was massive, far larger than Earth. Its surface was a dull grey, marked and ravaged by the war; deep fissures ran across its surface like claw marks.

Her beautiful child! What had it done to deserve such treatment?

The Autobots were gathered around her, all peering down at their home, grief leaked from each spark.

"How did we let this happen?" Primes asked, mostly to himself.

"Wars have two sides, Optimus, and the Decepticons are responsible for the atrocities suffered by Cybertron."

"The blame lies with everyone involved." Cameron said. "I'm not sure if I can heal Cybertron fully. He has been hurting for a long time."

Cameron reached out and placed her hand on the window. Cybertron had indeed suffered brutally, but that was all over now. She sent a surge of energy towards the fading planet. It lit up in answer. Light covered the planet as it processed the energy. For several minutes they saw Cybertron the way it had been during its golden years. It's spectacular beauty illuminated two small moons that had escaped Cameron's notice.

Ratchet's holoform appeared and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Given time, we can fix it."

Cameron smiled as hope bloomed. "Cybertron will live again."

Fin.

* * *

**I would like to say once again, thank you to everyone who stuck by me during this story. It means so much to me that you've taken the time to read and comment, fave and alert. My love to you all.**

**Vasdrkangel, StarSwoop, BreezesofSpring, ArmoredSoul, soaringphoenix86, inufreak831, Voodoo Queen, Hells Angel 101, jazzbot8907, Delphine Pryde, Tristone, Kiyoshi Kozue, Silver Ribbon, Moonpiper, Skyblade fighter angel, hecate-19, Julkat 007, decepticonangell, Drunken Lullabies, Eddi McCandry, Bella Cordelia, White-Witch-Sakura, Prairiefire, KalanSlytherin, Anita H, Lady Katana 4544, Quelara, Miss Hiss, Anime Crazy88, Death Phoenix, vadersbane, Dragonaia, CaveNymph, Ariannith, Dragonrosefang, Lliweel, PandylBas, LadyoftheDrow, DemonicSymphony, S. Phantom, Morbid Prism, Moonlight Eagle, Lashana and Telca, Frenzy-girl, thundercracker76, Big Boss Man, MelancholyRose611, Supermoi, RattlesnakeGoingBackwards, BadLuck 92, Nyghtshade, -SoulMama-, blackfox vixen, Alpha Dragon Wulf, LostSchizophrenic.**

* * *

**Now a treat for whoever stayed.**

**Just because I couldn't help myself.**

Elita-1 rushed through the streets. Her spark pulsed excitedly as she reached the landing docks. Ever since everything had come back online for a handful of breems, the attitude of the Cybertronians had improved drastically. The transmission that followed had sent ecstasy through Elita's processors. The sound of Optimus' voice had almost floored her.

Now she had abandoned all propriety was running towards the ship, desperate to see her spark-mate.

The crowd around the cruiser was considerable. She saw Chromia up ahead, the blue femme was pushing her way through the crowd. Mechs filled the gap between them.

"Chromia!"

The stockier femme turned and searched the massing mechanoids, when she saw the femme commander she pushed her way through to her superiors' side.

"Come on, Elita. I didn't think you'd be late for this."

"I won't be if we keep moving." She said with a smile.

Chromia took the hint and started barging her way back through the crowd.

"I hope they're all alright."

"Well, we know Prime is. We all heard his voice." Chromia replied. "Ironhide had better still be in one piece though."

Elita-1 smiled. "I'm sure you would have noticed if he wasn't. The only ones we don't know about are Ratchet, Jazz and Bumblebee."

"We'll find out in a breem. Do you think they have the Allspark?"

"That would explain the power surge. I don't know anything else that could have brought the entire planet online, even for that short period."

Chromia stopped mid-stride. "The whole planet?"

Elita nodded. "I received reports from the Sonic Canyons and Helex just after the surge. It was world-wide."

"Helex contacted you? Shockwave actually went out of his way to get your attention?"

"Actually, it was Ramjet. I think he was as surprised as we were. The communiqué was a query disguised as prisoner demands."

"How is Smokescreen doing?"

"I'm sure he's fleeced them of their energon by now."

Chromia chuckled and pushed the last of the mechs out of their way. The Ark-13 steamed as it cooled, the metal groaning as its temperature fluctuated. The femmes stood tensely as the ships' door opened.

Elita rebooted her optics just to be sure she was seeing the truth. Optimus stood as the front of his team, Ironhide and Ratchet directly behind him.

"Gah!"

Elita turned her head to see Prowl frozen but twitching, his optics glued on the ship. She followed his gaze and stared. Bluestreak stood waving next to an uncomfortable-looking Barricade.

That bizarre appearance lost all importance as Optimus stepped forward. Before he was even halfway down the ramp Elita was in front of him, her hands reaching for him but not touching, almost afraid to believe he was there. Haunted, beautiful optics that could see straight to her spark locked on hers.

"Optimus." It came out on a breath.

A loud squeal caught their attention. Chromia had launched herself at Ironhide and the pair were now thoroughly focused on each other. A hand on her face brought her back to the most important mech in her world.

"Optimus, you're home."

He smiled. "I'm home."

* * *

**All done, bye guys. I hope you'll stick with me on my next few projects.**

**Love,**

**TammyCat**


	43. Sequel Update

Hi Guys and Girls

Due to popular demand I have decided to do a sequel to Allspark Reborn. I'm still working on the plot and such but it has a decent start already.

I would like to ask a favour of you all/induce your competitive spirit. I need a name for this new story. If you have an idea of what I could name it please send me a message or review. The name I like the best or the one that brings me ideas will win…..a prize of undetermined value….probably include you in the story


End file.
